Now Tom's hack, shamefully using and abusing Alan's text
Despite being part of a registered charity mySociety has never asked for donations from the public before. But some people might say that when your own users start asking if they can give you cash, it might be churlish to refuse.
If you love mySociety and its sites with such unbridled passion that you don't need any actual persuading to donate, then please just <go ahead and let rip>. But if you want some reasons, here they are...
1. 44% of people who used WriteToThem last year had never written to a politician ever before. mySociety shows that the net can connect normal people with the political process, not just extend the power of those already in the know.
2. Over 10,000 people a day visit TheyWorkForYou to get unbiased, uneditorialised information on what their MPs have been doing, saying and voting on. Also, every day Parliament is in session over 10,000 people get sent personalised emails from TheyWorkForYou telling them what their MP said the day before, or showing them where an issue they care about was discussed.
3. mySociety is starting to influence the way in which government and politicians use the net for the better. We've been told of politician's offices who have got better at responding to mail because of our league tables, and we successfully persuaded No10 to run a petition system that is truly transparent and willing to host even harsh criticisms of government policy. Nearly 90 MPs have used HearFromYourMP to talk with their constituents, even though they're trading off absolute control in exchange for dialogue.
4. We can use money donated to do all sorts of good things, including
Building new sites
Keeping the old ones working
Adding new features
Advertising our sites (which we've never yet done offline)
Holding events to attract/ensnare volunteers
5. The money we've had so far has done much more than help build the sites themselves: it has generated a sizeable community of friends and volunteers. In particular, it has attracted more people who simply don't have the time or income to give up months of their lives to build a whole project, but who now have various sites and tools which they can hack on, make additions to, or simply use for their own nefarious purposes.
6. None of your money will go into buying goats, unlike all the rest of your christmas presents.
UPDATE 1
Our volunteer Alan has pointed out that we haven't been balanced in our self-eulogising. So here are some of his reasons NOT to give to mySociety.
1. You believe that public data works better when locked away and bound up in red tape.
2. Your coffers have been drained because you are a serial victim of chuggers.
3. You hate your fellow man.
4. The warm toasty glow of helping democracy in fact makies you feel cold and clammy.
5. You are personally scared what our next league table might show.
Thanks Alan!
UPDATE 2
Do you work in the House of Commons and use our site every day? Yes? Well GIVE US SOME MONEY TO DO THE COMMITTEES THEN. Thanks 