Dear CIMSEC Friends and Members of CIMSEC,
In the two years since our founding we have been able to keep our costs to a bare minimum thanks to the hard work of our volunteer officers. As we have grown together as an organization we have reached a point where a small amount of additional funds can provide a substantial boost to our output and the health of our organization. We want to ensure we are able to provide a solid foundation for the future success and growth of CIMSEC by filing for federal non-profit status, along with making several other small investments in capability. We therefore hope that you will consider supporting our efforts by contributing to our Kickstarter campaign.
Your donation will allow us to continue providing an innovative platform for international maritime security discourse without membership dues, or fees for access to our analysis, and – depending on your contribution level – you may get an interesting gift as a thank you. But before diving into the nuances of fundraising, I want to briefly discuss some of CIMSEC’s accomplishments.
• Our NextWar blog has published over 700 articles on various topics ranging from the role that 3D printing can play in defense, the meaning of AirSea Battle, and the search for maritime strategies in the 21st century. Our analysis has been sought and cited in publications including The Wall Street Journal, The Times (of London), Popular Science and Reuters. We have partnered with similar organizations and outlets from Australia to Poland allowing our contributor’s and expansive reach. An article on Somali piracy was even pirated without attribution and re-printed in the Somaliland Sun.
• In addition, our Sea Control podcast has broadcast over 50 episodes from the U.S., U.K., and Australia, bringing together distinguished experts debating complex security-related issues. Past episodes covered such topics as promoting leadership in large institutions, the crisis in Ukraine, counter-piracy off the coasts of Africa, and Indonesia security policy.
• Further, our local chapters have hosted over 30 meet-ups throughout the United States and overseas that give interested individuals the chance to connect and discuss maritime security topics with contributors in person.
All of these accomplishments are a product of our 400+ members. Your passion, enthusiasm, and intellectual curiosity drive CIMSEC towards achieving its mission of furthering international maritime peace and security through the exchange of ideas.
As a result of our expansion, we have reached a stage where we need to develop the infrastructure required to support future growth. Specifically, within the fiscal year, we aim to raise enough funds to file for 503(c)(3) nonprofit status, procure publishing software that would allow us to develop higher quality publications, and set up a PO Box as a corporate address. We also hope to establish an essay contest fund encouraging high school students to engage in the maritime security dialogue.
We have set our funding goal at $900 and are conducting this fundraising campaign on Kickstarter for 21 days. We believe that Kickstarter will not only allow our supporters to be more engaged during the process, but it also allows us to better thank and reward our backers. Members that want to support our fundraising efforts in other ways can reach out directly to the President Scott Cheney-Peters (director@cimsec.org) or myself (treasurer@cimsec.org).
Your support—no matter the amount—makes a difference and will allow us to continue to grow together.
Sincerely,
Bret Perry
CIMSEC Treasurer