LAB is in urgent need of funding. This is a truly critical moment for us – by the end of November we will no longer have the funds to employ our three members of staff, who have been working part time for us for almost a year. And we won’t be able to coordinate our wonderful team of translators, researchers and writers. All have made a huge contribution.
With the rapid rise of climate change and the devastation and turmoil caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, LAB’s unique role is not only to document the region’s egregious sufferings, but to communicate the optimism and transformational ideas of its social movements. Costa Rican rapper and social activist Nakury told LAB’s Culture Editor, Louise Morris:
‘It’s amazing that we’re talking about all these issues, thank you for doing this, it’s very, very important for our communities’.
In the past 18 months…
LAB has published 360 articles (including 130 on the effects of the Covid pandemic) and welcomed well over 100,000 website visitors; held a ‘Voices’ webinar series; published The Past is an Imperfect Tense and Mexico Inside Out; produced a podcast addressing violence against women; and screened films on press freedom, elder-care in Chile and agro-ecology.
We have exciting new work under way:
A podcast, books including Women Resisting Violence, The Heart of Our Earth – community resistance to mining, Crossing the Line – Travels in Bolivia and Costa Rica Inside Out. We’re developing a new project called ‘Covid-19: Survival, Recovery, Transformation and a new blog series about environmental defenders.
All of this work will grind to a halt if we cannot find new funding before the end of this year. We have applied to a number of trusts and other funders. But even if we are successful, most tie funding closely to project work, with little extra to sustain LAB itself. Where else can we turn but to you, our loyal LAB friends? Many of you already support us in many ways.
But, we need to raise £30,000 in addition to funding tied to specific projects.
It’s not a huge ask. A Netflix subscription costs more than twice that.
Four things you can do to help LAB’s work continue:
1. Become a regular donor via Patreon
If you subscribe to our free newsletter, please, if you are able, convert to a paid subscription via our Patreon. Each LAB patron is worth around £35 per year net to LAB. Patrons can choose two free LAB books per year (in e-book format), and receive our Voz Quarterly Dispatch plus other rewards.
2. Make a one-off donation
You can make a regular or one-off donation to LAB here. If you can Gift Aid your donation, there is no extra cost to you, but LAB receives 25 per cent more.
3. Help LAB establish partnerships with university researchers
If you, your friends or colleagues are involved in academic or NGO research, ask them to explore the Research Engagement and Impact (REI) services LAB provides under its ‘Beyond the Campus’ umbrella. Read more about this and download our REI brochure and list of services here. We’re especially keen to find partners for our new ‘Covid-19: Survival, Recovery, Transformation’ project.
4. Become a LAB volunteer
We have a lively, wonderful panel of over 90 volunteers who help us with a myriad of tasks: translating, writing, editing, monitoring particular countries or themes, reviewing books and films…Just send an email to volunteer@lab.org.uk
Thank you so much for your ongoing support.