join now | get engaged

Engage Barrie Organization has always insisted on no mandatory membership fees, to ensure our organization is accessible to all who wish to join, and to avoid creating tiers of membership based on ability to pay.  We have no intention of ever changing that policy.

 

However, as an incorporated not-for-profit, EBO now incurs a number of expenses – primarily the fixed charges for insurance, our website, and banking fees – which need to be covered in order for us to remain sustainable.

 

In an ideal world (we can dream, can’t we?), and with some rounding magic, EBO could achieve that goal with each member donating $30 annually (or $2.50 monthly).

 

 

Only $30 a year to uphold democracy?  What a bargain!!!

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We wholeheartedly agree!  In these tough times, though, we understand that even this amount is not feasible for everyone, so we’ve put together a few ideas of how you can contribute to the community, depending on your current abilities.

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Donation Level: $0

• Thanks so much for continuing to be a member, we really appreciate your support!

• Perhaps there are other ways you’d like to help out?  Here are some ideas, but we’re always open to others:

  • Share our posts on social media (we’ve got accounts on Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, BlueSky, and Mastodon)

  • Share your ideas and interests at our bi-monthly Members Meetings

  • Talk us up at other related organizations or events, and invite interested people to check us out.  (If we get more members, we’ll be able to ask for less from each one – win-win!)

    • Maybe one of those individuals or organizations is looking for ways to strengthen local democracy, and has some community money they’re looking to give away.  Pick us!  Pick us!

  • Write a post for our blog / website about an issue that interests you, or a situation that concerns you.

  • Let us know some of your burning questions that you’d really like answered – better yet, help us put together tutorials to answer those questions in a way that makes sense to people not quite as council-geeky as our Accountability Team!

  • If you’re also a council geek, join our Accountability Team and help us keep track of motions and votes at City Hall – having multiple perspectives helps us to understand issues better, and come up with better questions and critiques for City Hall.

  • Join our letter-writing team – either to help write posts for letters to the editor or op-eds, or to share something written by the team with others.

  • If there’s a particular cause you’re most passionate about, join or even lead a subcommittee of like-minded members to get moving and shaking under the EBO umbrella.

  • The Board is rather fond of chocolate, cookies, and cupcakes, just sayin’...

 

Donation Level: $15

• Thank you so much – we really appreciate that you’re making a contribution, even though times are tight for you.  Rest assured that someone doing a little better in the luck department has probably bumped up their donation to complete yours – because that’s what community members do for each other.

• If you are looking to contribute further in other ways, check out those ideas we mentioned in the category above, or suggest one of your own!

 

Donation Level:  $30

• Thanks so much for paying the full cost of an annual membership – if we charged an annual membership (which we will not).  High five!

• You’re still welcome, of course, to contribute in all those non-monetary ways we mentioned above, but we know time is money and money is time, so we’ll try not to get too greedy about it, promise!

 

Donation Level: $45

• Well look at you, pulling for the community – you’ve not only paid for your own annual membership, you’ve helped subsidize someone unable to give the full amount this year!

• Bonus:  Know that you’ve warmed the hearts of our Board of Directors, as we gaze upon your sense of community and mutual support.  (You’ve also made the Board have to endure less ranting from our Treasurer, so for that alone you have our eternal gratitude!)

 

Donation Level:  $60

• Oh wow, you’re really stepping up for someone currently in a rough patch – you’ve not only paid for your annual membership (if we charged an annual membership), but you’ve given a free “membership” to one of your colleagues, THANK YOU!

• Bonus:  The Board of Directors will burst into song with their rendition of “He ain’t heavy / He’s my brother” (using pronouns of choice)– AND you won’t even have to be there to listen to us, so your ears will be spared!  Win-win!!

 

Donation Level:  $90

• Woot woot!  You’ve paid your annual membership, AND a friend’s annual membership, AND… wait for it… an entire year of our basic account fees at the bank!!!  

• Bonus:  Happy bankers mean happy Treasurers, and our Board is ever-so-grateful to be spared the extra ranting and nagging, bless your beautiful little soul.

 

Donation Level:  $115

• Sa-weeeeet!  You’ve just paid our annual membership fee to belong to the Ontario Nonprofit Network – through them, we’ve been getting a handy discount on our insurance, plus lots of help as we navigate new rules and regulations for nonprofits, and tons of other resources which have proven invaluable.

• Bonus:  The Board is DEFINITELY doing a happy dance on your behalf right now, we’re able to keep our discounts and freebies, and have access to a whole bunch of information and resources to help keep this machine purring away.

 

Donation Level:  $150

• Your full annual membership (if we charged annual membership) AND an entire month’s insurance payment?!?  You DO know the way to our hearts!!!  This is our number one highest and scariest monthly payment – although less scary than having to deal with a SLAPP-suit with no insurance coverage and nothing in the bank.

• Bonus:  That peaceful glow on our Treasurer’s face, Board not subject to ranting, and a partridge in a pear tree!!!

 

Donation Level:  $200

• Okay, we’re just gonna say it out loud:  WE LOVE YOU, and we aren’t ashamed to say so.

• You’ve also supported our domain and website expenses for… okay, this one isn’t quite as neat and tidy, but maybe half of a year?  Either way, a nice big chunk!  Our website is ever-expanding and growing, and providing lots of (we’ve been told) invaluable information and commentary on the local political scene.  Our webfairies are working hard to put new sections in place, and your generosity will inspire them to flap those wings just a little faster.

• Bonus:  We’d do a photo opp, but we’re kind of allergic to those, so… picture us smiling and well-coiffed and looking fab-u-lous, as we stand in front of City Hall holding you close to our hearts.  Also, peaceful glow on Treasurer’s face, Board not subject to ranting, and that beautiful partridge hanging out in a beautiful pear tree.

 

Donation Level:  To Infinity!

• We swoon, we faint, we sing your praises, we create a new line dance in your honour, we jump up and down a lot and MAY even share our chocolate, cookies and cupcakes with you (no commitment, this hasn’t been passed by majority vote yet), PLUS peaceful glow on Treasurer’s face, Board not subject to ranting, partridge meets pear tree, and DEMOCRACY ACROSS THE LAND!!!

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Are you ready to reap your Bonus Rewards???

 

We have a few ways you can donate, right this minute, before you see that shiny thing and forget all about the songs, the dances, the warm hearts, the happy Treasurer, and the potential chocolate, cookies and cupcakes.

 

1. Send an e-transfer to admin@engagebarrie.org

2. Donate via Paypal (please consider setting up a monthly or yearly donation) at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=G4WEXXD56WSNG 

3. Send a cheque to us at Engage Barrie Organization, 58 Lillian Crescent, Barrie ON, L4N 5H7