From the A to Z Challenge Website
I’ve decided to participate in the A-to-Z Challenge again this year. I am WAY behind on creating materials, so everything is going to be rushed. Nothing inspires quite like Panic. Hopefully at least some of it will be an actual story.
Second piece of news, NaNoWritMo – the non-profit, has failed. They are working on closing their doors in an orderly fashion, giving time for people to download any materials from there. The problem that ended the non-profit wasn’t the child-issues or the AI-backlash, but the loan they took out during COVID because of ongoing shortfalls of donations and other income vs. some very, very reasonable expenses. They just didn’t get the donations they needed for years and years.
I know a million dollar operating budget sounds like a lot, but maintaining even my small website is over a hundred a year and I am not maintaining it for over 100,000 people to talk on and interact with, nor do I have a staff to direct over 800 volunteers. The non-profit had twelve paid staff members – even at minimum wage of $7.25 with some benefits – that would be $300,000 – playing the more reasonable minimum living wage of just $15 an hour (with minor beneifts) ups that to $550k. A professional wage of $22 per hour (or about $44k a year) for 12 people plus benefits is $875k. Why do they need twelve people: (1) volunteer wrangler, (2) weekly newsletter, (3) collecting authors and speakers, (4) bookkeeper, (5) HR, (6) administrative assistant to the board to meet non-profit ruling, (7) website administrator, (8) youth services coordinator / (9) teacher material coordinator, (10) social media person specific for the non-profit – for youtube, tiktok, facebook, etc, (11) grant writer / sponsorship seeker, (12) merchandise seller / coordinator, (13) and so much more.