A SCOTTISH Independence campaign group has smashed its fundraising target after one month of crowdfunding.
Organisers behind Believe in Scotland, a grassroots independence movement, said they were “humbled and honoured by the faith that the Yes movement has placed in our campaign”, after raising more than £88,000.
The group, which has a democratic coalition of 142 local and national grassroots Yes groups working together to promote Scottish independence, is managed by a national campaign steering group.
It is operated and funded independently, away from any political party.
The group met its original target of £60k just 11 days after the crowdfunder was launched, before hitting a stretch target of £70k with one week left of the fundraiser.
The final target of £80k was met on the last day of the fundraiser, with a total of £88,015 eventually raised.
A total of 1242 members of the public donated, and eight Business for Scotland – Believe in Scotland’s sister campaigning group – members donated £5k each to double the money raised from public donations up to £40k.
Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp, founder of Believe in Scotland and columnist at The National, thanked those who donated and looked ahead to the future of the Yes movement.
He said: “Thank you to everyone who donated to our crowdfunder.
“Believe in Scotland is unique: a democratic coalition of 142 local and national grassroots Yes groups working together to promote Scottish independence.
“We are the umbrella group for all active independence campaigners and we have an unmatched track record of delivering on our promises.
“We will keep campaigning until Scotland is an independent nation with all the advantages to our society, environment and economy that independence will provide.”
Organisers said campaign plans for the next year are their “most ambitious yet”, and include rallies in both Glasgow and Edinburgh, four national days of action and more than a dozen localised campaign days.
They also hope to continue with video and social media campaigns, as well as providing materials, support, training and research for the grassroots independence movement.
MacIntyre-Kemp previously said that the donation from businesses would cover the cost of offices, warehousing, staff and administration costs.
He said: “That is so public donations can be 100% dedicated to campaigning materials, billboards, events, polling, research, social media advertising and engagement, marches and rallies and much more.”
