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feature requests, bugs, etc.

A$k the Mod$; Mefi Pet$; Early Acce$$: it's our August Fundraiser!

MetaFilter turned 25 this year and we're excited to be kicking off our annual fundraiser! Over the past year, we've continued to stabilize the site's finances and started investing in new technology by rebuilding the entire site. Now, to keep the site running smoothly and keep making improvements, we rely on the generous donations of our community.

A quarter century ago MetaFilter launched as one of the pioneers of Web 2.0. Since then, a lot has happened to internet culture, to technology, to the world, and to this beloved community.

Today, our community is not only still standing but looking towards the future with hope as we rebuild the site and wait for its new future as a member-driven non-profit organization.

Over the past year, member contributions have declined at the expected pace but our ad revenue has increased to help us make up for that difference. So, what is our goal for this year? This time around we want to make enough runway, not only to make it through the upcoming transition to a non-profit, but to build stronger finances so when the time comes, the non-profit board will have enough money in the bank to invest it for the good of the site and its members.

Here are the key highlights of this year's fundraising campaign:

**Fundraising Goal:** This year, we're aiming to raise $5,000 in subscriptions and $30,000 in one-time contributions to support the site's transition and fund new features and upgrades.

**How can I help?** There are several ways to help. As always, we have a range of contribution levels to choose from, whether one time or recurring, starting at $5 and we've also launched a GoFundMe Campaign. You can invite your friends to join the site, propose initiatives that you would like to see happening during the fundraising, and, if you have experience with fundraising and want to help, just let me know via MeFi Mail and we can use some of the Member Contribution budget we have allocated to sponsor your initiative.

**Timeline:** The fundraising campaign will run for the remainder of August and the entire month of September. So you have plenty of time to make your contribution.

**What to expect:**

Ask the Mods Anything 2.0: This time we'll be making a podcast where I'm interviewed by Jessamyn and members can vote on which questions get to be asked via one time contributions.

Early Access to the new MetaFilter: Get access to the new site's test environment for any member with an active subscription.

Pet Tax Wall: Submit your pet pictures to share with the community and help us build a full virtual wall of MetaFilter Pets. We'll then print a copy of the MeFi wall for auction.

The Joy of MeFi Cooking: A recipe book with recipes from other Mefites.

MeFi Virtual Gala: Try your best attire and share it with the community.

We're incredibly grateful for the continued support of the MetaFilter community. Your donations allow us to keep the site running smoothly and make improvements that benefit us all.

If you're able, please consider making a donation during our fundraising month. Every bit helps, and we can't wait to see what we can accomplish together.

Thanks, and happy discussing!

The MetaFilter Team
Brandon, frimble, gnfti, kirkaracha, loup, Jessamyn, taz, and Thyme
posted by loup on Aug 12, 2024 at 1:46 PM

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Thank you, team! Just donated, and I am looking forward to the cookbook.

Can anyone talk a bit about the decision to form a GoFundMe for the annual drive? MetaFilter doesn't seem quite like the others in the "community" category, and (I think) the last time a site GoFundMe was discussed, it was to underwrite specific projects (per comments in March 2023 MetaTalks).

That GoFundMe charges a flat transaction fee per donation of 2.9% + $0.30 is appealing; I believe Stripe's fee is also 2.9% + $0.30 for domestic transactions, while PayPal and its subsidiary Venmo charge higher fees.
posted by Iris Gambol at 8:35 PM

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O Hai.
posted by lalochezia at 4:19 AM

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You should probably add this to the banner.
posted by bowbeacon at 7:24 AM

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Question: does early access to the new metafilter apply to those with a currently active subscription, or just new subscribers? If the latter, does increasing one's already active subscription amount count as "new"?
posted by pdb at 7:45 AM

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Donate $25 and I will post a set of six movies on the topic of your choice to FanFare. MeMail me with your request and I can usually turn it around in less than 48 hours.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:46 AM

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who's "gnifti"?
posted by lalochezia at 5:14 PM

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good new for the insane, I believe.
posted by sagc at 6:49 PM

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My pet tax wall pictures are of Grace, who is my profile photo here and on Facebook. The hard about living with a cat or dog is that you outlive them. Until you get so old that they will outlive you. Then the problem becomes who can I trust to take care of them when I die before they do. My family? Pfft! As if. My friends? It's such a huge ask. Which is where I am now. I turned 75 on July 27th. Grace likely was my last cat. And I miss her still and always will.
posted by y2karl at 6:57 PM

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I wanted to reiterate my offer to post six movies on a theme of your choice on FF for a $25 pledge. I've done this several times before, to good response. In some cases, other folks even added films to the tags for bonus picks!

Here are some themes I have posted on for people in the past:

six recent films that were big hits outside of the US but didn't get much attention stateside

six films by, for, and about queer women that came out in the early to mid 90s for expialidocious

six movies about Japanese films centered on people with disabilities and six Japanese historical dramas about women both for Soliloquy

six international spy comedies for Orange Dinosaur Slide

six recent films that were big hits outside of the US but didn't get much attention stateside sponsored first by media report, then supersized by another donation by Soap_and_Bathetic

six films about submarines for kaibutsu

after a request for six films about musicians, either biopics or doc by box was too easy, I posted six of each. I also posted six films about high school or college for another donation by box.

I had a good list of time loop movies so I "sponsored that one myself" (aka, excuse to donate and post a bunch of cool movies)

six films about time travel for hanov3r. via a matching donation from bent back tulips, this one was super-sized.

six folk horror films for socky_puppy

six weird holiday films for dorothyisunderwood

six films about garbage for wowenthusiast

six films that pass the Bechdel test for katie (for one, I picked each from a different decade)

six Dutch films for elkevelvet

six movies with an Arctic/life in the polar circle/snowy theme for roolya_boolya

You can view this as a fun way to get film recs, a way to see more of the the kinds of movies you like on FF, or just an excuse to make me squirm so that MeFi can have another $25. It's fun in any case. Just MeMail me about your pledge and accompanying request.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 6:30 AM

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It's great to have this on the banner but right now it is a little cryptic. Perhaps something like "August Fundraiser: Help Us Stay Joyfully Weird and Moving Forward!"

I'd also consider rotating through the various efforts as banners. So maybe one week you highlight the GoFundMe, another week inviting friends to join the site, etc. Giving people bite-sized, quick ways to help might get better results.
posted by mcduff at 7:59 AM

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– Can anyone talk a bit about the decision to form a GoFundMe for the annual drive?
Yup, the team suggested we should have one, and they charge the same a Stipe (which is what we already use). The more easily accessible ways to contribute we offer the better.

– Question: does early access to the new metafilter apply to those with a currently active subscription, or just new subscribers?
Definitely! Anyone with an active subscription will have access (regardless of when it started). But if anyone want to update/increase their con tribution, who are we to oppose to their generosity?

– Donate $25 and I will post a set of six movies on the topic of your choice to FanFare
Thank you!

– who's "gnifti"?
Yes, good news for the insane, but misspelled by loup.

– It's great to have this on the banner but right now it is a little cryptic.
Yup, the idea is to have a new banner at least once per week during the entire fundraising season.
posted by loup at 1:37 PM

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I just posted paduasoy's "six films about cats, with no cat death" list. You can see the films via the hashtag #CatFilms.

Donate $25 to MeFi and I'll post six films on a custom theme of your choice, too!
posted by DirtyOldTown at 11:34 AM

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