AN APPEAL TO MEMBERS

We can do more and you can help

December 03, 2024
AN APPEAL TO MEMBERS

We are asking for your support for our ambitious plans to do more of what we already do well—expanding our programs to promote and support Canadian crime writing. To do more, we need additional financing, staff, and volunteers over the next year. You can help!

As you probably know, we’re currently in a period of transition. We have a new management team. We’re upgrading our membership management and accounting operating systems, improving the performance of our website, and expanding our communications channels and social media presence. During this challenging period, we’ve continued to deliver essential membership services, manage our internationally recognized awards program, produce webcasts and workshops, podcasts, and author interviews, and we’ve significantly raised the profile of CWC, our author members, and their published work.

We plan to continue improving our member services and our mission of promoting and supporting Canadian crime writing.

However, our capacity to expand these programs for greater impact is severely limited by our lack of funds and staff resources. So, we’re asking for your help to raise funds and actively support our efforts. The current CWC management team is limited to two contracted part-time staff members and a few pro-active volunteers. Our annual budget is thinly stretched across these limited activities so we can avoid operating at a deficit.

Our primary sources of funds, until now, have been membership fees, sponsorships, and the annual awards program. However, we now have the opportunity to solicit donations as a registered charity under our official designation as a National Arts Service Organisation which supports Canadian crime writing.

Our ambitious plans for the future are being documented in an updated Strategic Plan.

To fulfill our mission of promotion and support of Canadian crime writing more effectively, this updated plan will focus on the following themes:

  • Pride in our forty-year legacy of internationally recognized award-winning best-selling authors and our more recently acclaimed highly accomplished author members.
  • Prominence as the internationally recognized pre-eminent Canadian professional association for crime writers of mystery and suspense, thrillers, short stories, true crime, and non-fiction.
  • Professionalism in our management and operations, the delivery of member services, mentorship and the development of new writers, and our commercial relationships with sponsors, supporters, and contractors.


You can help Crime Writers of Canada achieve these important improvement objectives now. Please consider supporting our mission, and help us provide more stable and predictable financial resources and additional staffing for key committees, staff positions and programs by contributing in any of the following ways:

  1. Accept our Special Offer for early renewals and new memberships received before December 31,,2024 with a 20% discount for a two-year membership.

    Professional Author Member
    @ only $224 versus 2 X $140 = $280, saving $56.
    Associate Member @ only $152 versus 2 x $95 = $190, saving $38.
    Supporting Member @ only $152 versus 2 x $95 = $190, saving $38.

    This discount is valid until December 31, 2024. Your early membership renewal will NOT affect your expiry date (e.g, if your membership expires in February 2025, a two-year early renewal before December 31 will extend that membership until February 2027).

    If you are currently on a 2-year membership term, then simply click the "RENEW NOW" button (below) before December 31st to take advantage of the discount.

    If you are currently on a 1-year membership term and would like to take advantage of the discount, you will need to change your membership level. To do so, please see the instructions here.

    If you have already renewed your 1-year membership, you can still take advantage of the discount by changing to a 2-year membership -- to do so, please follow the instructions above. Once payment has been received for your new membership level, we will send you a refund for the difference between your previous membership level and the new one.


    OR

    You can also renew your 1-year membership on your renewal date at the regular membership rate of $140 (Professional Author Member) or $95 (Associate and Supporting Members).

    RENEW NOW
     

  2. Make a tax-deductible donation to Crime Writers of Canada as a National Arts Service Organisation before December 31 and immediately receive a tax receipt applicable for 2024. Any amount, large or small, will make a difference and inspire us to do more for Canadian crime writing.

    DONATE NOW
     

  3. Volunteer your time and expertise with one of the national committees – Strategic Planning, Membership, Awards, Marketing or Finance – or actively support your Regional Director with local activities and author events.

    Please contact our Executive Director or Regional Director to discuss our needs and where you might be able to help.


We look forward to your continued support and active engagement in promoting and supporting Canadian crime writing and working with your fellow members. Please share this appeal with your contacts, readers, friends, and fans of Canadian crime writing who may also wish to join us in these efforts.

We sincerely thank you for your time and appreciate your consideration of this appeal.

The Executive Committee of Crime Writers of Canada,

Winona

Del

Ludvica

Erik

Winona Kent

Del Chatterson

Ludvica Boota

Erik D’Souza

Chair

Vice Chair

Executive Director

Marketing & Communications Manager