Have you renewed your KFTC membership?

Building our power so we can use our power is one way we often describe KFTC’s work. We used our power to win in 2015 on minimum wage, voting rights and litigation against coal companies. Those wins were possible because we built our power through grassroots organizing, leadership development, and membership.

Membership takes many forms: attending chapter meetings, lobbying during the General Assembly, registering voters, learning about issues, developing leadership skills, bringing new people into the work, and supporting KFTC financially.

Take the Survey! Want to help us do better work around membership and fundraising? Answer this five-question survey. It only takes a few minutes! 

With 13 local chapters and members in 105 Kentucky counties and several states, we have thousands of people who are engaging with KFTC in a variety of ways.

KFTC is strongest when our members are lifting up the organization through their support – through their membership and annual donations.

In 2015, we gained about 1,000 new members, but fell short of our $500,000 goal (we raised $424,000).

Our membership numbers and the dollars we raise translate into power and enable us to win on important issues. If all our members give every year at whatever level they can afford, we can build the power to achieve our vision for Kentucky.

Homer White has been a member of KFTC since the early 1990s, when his family moved to eastern Kentucky. Now living in Georgetown, he helped start the Scott County chapter and serves on the KFTC Executive Committee. He has made a financial contribution to KFTC every year since 1993 and is a Sustaining Giver who gives monthly.

“The challenge for 2016 is to increase the base of members who give regularly, especially through the Sustaining Giver Program,” White said. “Regular giving gives members an extra sense of ownership in KFTC and a vested interest in its success.”

“Regular giving gives members an extra sense of ownership in KFTC and a vested interest in its success.”-- Homer White 

In 2015, more than 100 other KFTC households stepped up to become Sustaining Givers. KFTC now has 424 Sustaining Givers whose combined pledges will bring more than $55,000 to KFTC this year. As we work to raise $500,000 in 2016, primarily through membership donations, these Sustaining Givers will have a big impact.

In addition to Sustaining Givers, other members are doing their part to build KFTC’s power. During the fall campaign, 51 members hosted PowerBuilder pages to recruit members and raise funds for KFTC. Together, PowerBuilders raised $25,398 from 554 donors.

Meta Mendel-Reyes is a Sustaining Giver who also hosted a PowerBuilder page in the fall and met her goal of 15 donations. She actually got 16 donations.

“Membership recruitment and fundraising are so critical because our members are our power,” said Mendel-Reyes. “When we ask people to join or give, we are giving more Kentuckians the chance to be a part of the most powerful grassroots organization in Kentucky.”

If you still feel connected to KFTC but didn’t renew your membership in 2015, today is a great time to renew. Or become a Sustaining Giver so you never have to worry about renewing and you can support KFTC’s work every month.

If all of us give what we can, every year, KFTC will be the strong, deep organization that can achieve our vision for Kentucky.

How will you help build New Power?