Hello Awakening,

As a result of last month’s announcement (see: Awakening Needs You!), Dirge is no longer in a position to cover the monthly shortfall after donations. We put out the call, and you all came together in an incredible way - so much so that The Galaxy Thrives On!

As part of our ongoing commitment to the community, the Admin team will now be posting a monthly balance sheet where you can review our incomings and outgoings. My real life job is in accounts and finance within small business and the not-for-profit sector, so I naturally put my hand up for this role - accountability is paramount when it comes to community-funded initiatives!

I'd like to run through a few key points before posting our first monthly review.

• All incoming and outgoing expenses listed are those charged to the Awakening PayPal account. This account remains tied to Dirge’s personal information, so we do not have direct access to it. 2FA and other security features prevent shared logins. We do, however, receive the automatically forwarded notification emails for donations and expenses. Dirge will also forward the monthly PayPal reports when time permits so we can reconcile the running balance sheet.
  
  
• PayPal fees vary based on the donor’s location. PayPal charges a 2.89% + $0.49 USD fee for U.S. donations; international donations incur an additional 1.5%. For simplicity, we have calculated all fees at the maximum possible rate (2.89% +1.50% + $0.49 USD). Actual fees will be lower, so the balance sheet reflects a conservative estimate. If you would like to view PayPal's merchant fees, please see PayPal Merchant Fees.
  
  
• Expenses will vary month to month depending on when quarterly or annual costs fall due, in addition to our regular monthly expenses. Based on Dirge’s historical averages, our expected monthly cost is $220 USD, which is why our goal is currently set at this amount. This figure may change after our server migration, at which point we will reassess our projected yearly expenses to determine an updated donation goal that covers expected costs and includes a buffer to provide a safety net for any one-off payments that may arise.
  
  
• Any savings listed on the balance sheet will carry over as the starting balance for the following month. Once the PayPal reports are received, we will adjust these figures to reflect the actual fees, which are often lower than initially recorded.
  
  Please note that the donation bar (tracker) on the website may differ from the monthly reports. The tracker will have the monthly goal amount deducted from its total at the start of each new month, regardless of actual expenses during that period. This approach ensures that the goal reflects an average of our expected yearly expenses, with an added buffer for irregular costs that may arise.
  
  Any funds exceeding the monthly goal will roll over into the following month. Conversely, if the monthly goal is not met, the tracker will reset to zero.
  
  
• Expense and income categories will vary each month depending on what comes in and what goes out. Our two regular expenses are server hosting and PayPal fees. Donations are split into one-off and renewal contributions.

We welcome community engagement and questions on our monthly posts. If you would prefer to ask something anonymously, you can open a support ticket on the Discord server, or email us at admin@swgawakening.com. All we request is that any engagement remain civil and constructive.

• Please note: All donations are treated with strict privacy. Admin and Staff will not answer questions about the origin of any donation.

As discussed in Donation Update & New Recurring Monthly Option, we now have a recurring donation option for those who want to set-and-forget their support.

To have your donation contributions recognised within the community (cosmetic forum & Discord ranks), please follow the steps listed on the Donation page.