[Imc-dnc-discuss] draft funding request

[joe]

Here's what I'm thinking about posting to a variety of progressive web
forums and blogs, as discussed by Pete at our meeting on Sunday. This is
simply a distillation of the grants Pete has already written, so credit
goes to him for putting the material together, and blame to me for
butchering it down to a length more appropriate for casual web readers.
The sooner this gets out the better, obviously, so please make
suggestions to improve it, but keep them short!

cheers,
Joe
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The Boston Independent Media Center is seeking financial help in order
to provide alternative coverage of the upcoming Boston Social Forum and
Democratic National Convention. 

Our main project is the production of an 8-12 page newspaper with the working
title 'Boston Independent.' We are planning a print run of 25,000 to
50,000 color copies, but will only be able to achieve this with additional
financial support. Funds raised will also go towards the printing of
informational brochures that describe how to use our website, participate in
our working groups, and do your own reporting. The paper and brochures will be
distributed widely to Boston residents before and during the events, through
partnerships with local community groups.  

These publications will seek to give wide voice to the people and perspectives
who are ignored by our corporate news services.  They will also help raise
funds for future issues of the newspaper, and their production and
distribution will further our continuing campaign to involve a wider diversity
of local groups in our media projects, with a focus on communities of color.  

Boston's Independent Media Center began during the Biodevastation conference
in February of 2000.  Since then it has provided news, opinion and a place
for ongoing dialog among Boston's activists.  It has expanded from a simple
website to include radio programming, a cable television show, and the
occasional newspaper project (the most recent being 'Dirt' with an issue
published last summer.) 

We incorporate key institutional differences into our structure, including a
consensus-based decision making process, an open invitation to potential
members, and an open publishing policy on our website (anyone can publish!).
We believe that this gives us the potential to become an increasingly
important hub connecting a wide spectrum of activists and organizations.  

Donations can be made through Pay-pal from the 'Make a Donation' link at
http://boston.indymedia.org. Checks can be sent to XXX. Please make them
payable to 'Urbana-Champaign IMC', our fiscal sponsor, with 'for Boston IMC'
in the memo field.