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HELP TAKE RISE OF THE CENTER TO THE NEXT LEVEL

I’ve mentioned this a few times in comments and posts, but I’ve been working on a new website for several months now. I tried to twist and stretch the limits of systems like WordPress (which this site uses, and most other blogs), but after months of trying to get the new site to do what I need it to do to meet the needs expressed in feedback from readers and centrist/moderate activists like you, I had to eventually abandon the months I sunk into that and look elsewhere. Rise of the Center will still be going through a drastic redesign, and changing names, but the sister site will be using a new platform and spinning off onto a site of it’s own.

I found a platform that is perfect. It does everything I was hoping to be able to do, and so so so much more. The problem is it is not a free. I’ve already sunk several hundred dollars into it, and with my financial situation being tight (I quit my day job to put more time into these things and the side business I started to pay the bills hasn’t had much success yet) I just don’t have the resources to pay for the help I need to finish the site.

This is why I’m asking for your help.

If I could raise a few hundred dollars from readers, I’ll be able to get the site up in a matter of weeks, rather than the several months it would take for me to come up with all of the rest myself.

Those who donate $5 (or more) will get a sneak peak into the site itself as it comes together, but the gist of what is being built can be boiled down into five things:

1. A simple social network – VERY similar to how Meetup.com works, with a group centric membership site, with simple profile pages, groups and events. Everything is focused on helping local groups (from one passionate person wanting to start a grassroots group, all the way up to a deep pocketed national organization starting up a local chapter) find people, and for people to find groups in their area. This is the core of the site, and the aspect that some major organizations have already expressed interest in using as an organizing tool.
2. Sharing and ease of use – One click login with, and super easy account creation using, Facebook Connect, makes it very easy to, and rewards members for, bringing friends onto the site so we grow faster.
3. A better Centersphere – Expanding from a simple list of centrist/moderate blogs and organization websites, into a full fledged directory of profile pages for the best centrist and moderate blogs, organizations and figures, including interviews with the people involved, now that I’ve made the connections necessary to make that happen in most cases.
4. User & group generated content – Users will be able to write blog posts, and important updates from approved groups will be shared with members, across the platform, and may be posted on the sister site (Rise of the Center’s replacement blog – coming very soon) for more exposure. Really everything is member and group centered.
5. Branded mobile apps for iPhone and Android – This should make it much more useful, in a number of ways, for everyone from individual users to group organizers.

I’ve got the basic core of this working already, but need help with finishing touches, adding some necessary functionality for the groups, sharing, easy sign in and for a nice theme that I found that will be perfect with some tweaking that I’m capable of doing myself. Those who donate will get into the site’s alpha (pre-beta, invite only – before anyone else gets to see, while we work out any kinks), as well as a few other perks.

Please click the donate button if you can help, and don’t hesitate to ask questions in the comments.

Thanks for reading folks,

Solomon Kleinsmith
Founder/Content Manager
Rise of the Center