Local Monthly Donations

Didn't I Already Pay Dues?

Whatcom DSA is funded by our membership-- not corporate foundations or private companies. This ensures that DSA members are in full democratic and political control of our organization. Through national dues and local contributions, DSA members self-fund our own tools for liberation. No one is turned away for lack of funds. Contact us for more information. 

The only dues you have to pay to be a member of DSA are those set by the national organization. However, WDSA only sees a small portion of those dues. Local contributions are not mandatory but we do need them to keep the lights on. They are used for renting rooms, printing materials, and other logistical needs. One-time donations are always appreciated, but regular monthly contributions allow us to build a more stable and sustainable organization. Your contributions help make sure that our organization is accountable to its membership alone.  

How Much Should I Contribute?

Whatever is comfortable for your situation! If that means you aren't able to contribute anything monetarily, we still value your membership in our chapter and look forward to organizing together!

If you are able to, we encourage you to consider these as "local dues." You can set your own amount and pay what you are able, but here are some suggestions:

• You could also consider the following amounts as suggestions:
  • Low income members and students: $3/month
  • Single members: $5/month
  • Families: $10/month
    
    
• Some chapters encourage their members to make a monthly donation that is equal to  an hour of their paid labor. This can be a helpful way for members to give according to their ability, but it doesn't take into account the exploitative nature of the gig economy, folks doing unpaid labor, or the diverse needs of different members;
  
  
• Silicon Valley DSA includes the following table to help members decide how to divide their contributions between the national organization and the local chapter:
  
  

  Ability to pay	Recommended national dues	Recommended local dues
  Less than $20/yr	Request waiver	None
  $20/yr	$20 annually	None
  $5/month	$5 monthly	None
  $10/month	$5 monthly	$5 monthly
  $20/month	$5 monthly	$15 monthly
  $50/month	$5 monthly	$45 monthly

Finally, if you prefer to make a one-time donation, you can do so at this link: one-time donations.