Readers to Rainmakers: Will you join us?

What is the Rainmaker Membership Drive?

We are conducting our first-ever Membership Drive October 18th – 26th 2017! During this drive, we need every Emerald Reader to become an Emerald Rainmaker by becoming a recurring donor.

Why a membership drive?

The Emerald has chosen to be a non-profit in order to remain accountable to the community we serve, independent of corporate money. While advertising and grants are also part of our funding model, we believe in the power of our community – a community too often dismissed as powerless – to come together and support the financial needs of their local media.

In the 3 years since our founding, the Emerald has grown exponentially, amplifying the authentic narratives of South Seattle. Our readership has doubled each year since our founding and we’ve become an essential source for information, analysis and perspective.

However, while our influence and readership have grown rapidly, our donor base has not yet increased to match. We are in critical need of regular financial support from our readers in order to keep producing the Emerald.

What is a Rainmaker?

Like a Seattle shower, Rainmakers nurture, nourish, and grow the Emerald through their recurring donations.

Emerald Rainmakers also have access to behind-the-scenes insights, exclusive meet & greets, discounted (or free) admission to Emerald events, early access to Emerald merchandise, and so much more.

Why Recurring gifts?

It takes a great deal of effort, money and paper for non-profits to solicit donations. Recurring financial support allows us to plan a more accurate budget, guarantee funding to hire necessary staff, and save a lot of time and money on donor campaigns. If you love and value the Emerald’s content, supporting us with a recurring donation frees us to put more effort toward the news, analysis, and community engagement you expect from the Emerald.

Why no levels?

We’ve chosen to not separate our donors into levels as a step in living out our values of equity. While we are grateful for large donations, we strive to create an environment where all gifts are valued regardless of size and, more importantly, the people who give them are equally cherished and welcomed as part of the Emerald Rainmaker community.

That’s why ALL Rainmakers have equal access to all the perks of Rainmaker status – whether your gift is $12 per month or $1200 per month!

From time to time, there may be Rainmaker perks with limited quantities. In these instances, perks will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.