How to help IJ make the most of this historic opportunity

Robert Wilson’s challenge grant is a $5 million matching grant over three years (July 2008 through June 2011), with $3 million aimed at building and enhancing IJ’s overall capacity and $2 million to help us restore constitutional protection for the right to earn an honest living. Through this challenge grant, Robert Wilson will provide one dollar for every two dollars in new or increased support of $5,000 or more.

So, for instance, if you are giving $5,000 and are able to increase to $10,000, you would generate an additional $2,500 for IJ. If you are giving $25,000 and increase to $50,000, you would generate an additional $12,500 for IJ.

The grant, however, favors multi-year pledges, so if you are giving $5,000 and simply pledge to continue that support over the next three years, you will earn IJ an additional $5,000. If you are giving $25,000 and pledge to increase to $50,000 a year for the next three years, you will earn IJ an additional $62,500.

But even donors who are not giving at such a level can still play a very important role in meeting Bob Wilson’s challenge. For instance, if you gave $1,000 in the base year (July 1, 2007 to June 30, 2008), you could qualify for the matching grant by pledging to give $6,000 over the next three years. This works out to $2,000 a year and will earn IJ an additional $2,500 through the matching grant. If you find in any given year that you are unable to meet the obligations of your pledge, there is no penalty to you—IJ simply would not receive the matching funds.

If you are interested in learning more about how to leverage your support through the challenge grant, please contact Beth Stevens or (703) 682-9320 x. 233.

We are enormously grateful to Robert Wilson for his generosity, which demonstrates not only his belief in our mission, but also his trust in our ability to responsibly and effectively pursue this campaign and all it will make possible.

We thank you for considering how you can help.