To put it in a "bite size nugget", the workload of Bite Size Vegan has grown beyond me long ago—but the workforce has not (yet!). I've laid out the main needs for the survival of Bite Size Vegan below.
The biggest takeaway is that if I could keep doing this on my own, I would—and without great funding needs. But growing means bringing on paid help, services, and all the expenses that come with a start-up nonprofit organization.
This is no longer just a girl making videos on YouTube.
All pledge donations go directly to the nonprofit—and Bite Size Vegan needs your support now more than ever to make it through this foundational restructuring and growth!
This means, among other things:
- Hiring at least one full time salaried staff member
- This is both a major priority and a major expense for which I've been saving throughout Bite Size Vegan's existence.
- A full time salary will be a recurring annual expense, beyond the ability of the current Patreon income to sustain along with all the other expenses.
- Bringing on several independent contractors
- ICs are needed in a variety of areas. Given the priority of the full time staff, funding these positions will require additional fundraising.
- Overhauling the website to be a more effective resource
- The website currently is not easily navigable, impeding the accessibility of the expansive content & resources. A full "overhaul" will require development and design work, the cost of which is currently beyond the means of the nonprofit given the priority of the full time staff.
- The scope of this overhaul alone will require around 4-5 months of Bite Size Vegan's current Patreon income
- Shifting the entire structure of Bite Size Vegan
- Bite Size Vegan has been in the process of shifting from a "one-woman show" to a nonprofit organization. It is currently a nonprofit in pending 501c3 status.
- Building a functional volunteer team
- I attempted over the years to do this myself while maintaining everything else. However, building a team is an incredibly time-consuming endeavor. This is a huge part of why I've prioritized hiring a full time staff member, part of whose responsibilities will be sourcing and placing volunteers.
- And even more...
This is not a decision I made lightly—in fact, I stubbornly resisted even reducing my output to one video a week, despite the ever-increasing workload leading to 120+ hour weeks becoming standard.
Moving forward with forethought will accomplish far more than maintaining a regular output while treading water. I am now focusing full time on building the necessary foundation for a functioning team, upon which the long-term sustainability of Bite Size Vegan and expansion of resources depends.
I've always striven for transparency and accountability regarding the requirements and demands of Bite Size Vegan’s expanding workload, as well as the allocation of financial contributions. Please see the two-part video series for far more detail on this matter. [Also, please see "A Note Regarding YouTube Ad Revenue" for YouTube income questions, and Where Does Your Money Go for more on funding needs & allocation.]:
I'm leaving the original Patreon page description below, though it was written during active video production. While it may seem like "nothing is happening," I'm working every day to accomplish what's needed so I can get back to making videos—now, perhaps more than ever, any support you're able to give will be of monumental assistance. [Also see " What if You Can't Give?"]
To my Nugget Army, again I can never thank you enough— you have made Bite Size Vegan possible.
If you are not part of the Nugget Army and want to join us, I for one would be honored to have you in the family. You'll be a part of the re-launching (or re-birthing if you want a disturbing visual) of this educational outreach—finally with a firm foundation for reaching more people across the world with the truth.
Thank you for standing with me. We’re only just getting started.
Original Patreon Page Description:
When I started Bite Size Vegan I didn't know if anyone was going to see my videos, but I wanted to at least try to make a difference for the animals and our planet.
Since the day I sat on my floor in front of my computer and recorded that first video, Bite Size Vegan has grown so much! Over the years I've tackled many hard-hitting topics. And while my goal is to create content that's approachable and accessible, I never compromise the truth and I don't pull my punches.
I have a file on my computer filled with messages from people who've gone vegan because of the Bite Size Vegan videos and existing vegans who have—through the videos—found the confidence to speak up about veganism and take action for the animals. [You can read some of these testimonials throughout this post, and find even more here.]
I cannot put into words how much these messages mean to me. And now that I've been able to start traveling the world giving speeches, I've had the honor of hearing some of these stories in person. I don't ever think I'll stop being amazed that my awkward fumblings have somehow impacted people and entire families all over the world!
I not only want to continue this work of amassing a freely accessible video and written database for research-backed vegan education, but also expand Bite Size Vegan's mission into avenues beyond YouTube—to reach more people, save more animals, and change more lives. But I need your help.
Bite Size Vegan is a minority among vegan YouTube channels as I focus primarily on the ethical aspects of veganism and speaking to non-vegans. Because this message is so important and also so easily and quickly rejected, it's vital that I present well-researched and documented information, which of course takes ample time and effort to produce.
A single video can take anywhere from 40 to 200 hours or more to create! With the more "hardcore" educational videos routinely reaching over 170 hours and full-length speeches requiring months of intensive research and preparation. Apply this to creating 1-3 videos a week consistently, along with speeches and travel, and you can imagine why Bite Size Vegan needs support to grow beyond me!
Bite Size Vegan is currently a one-woman operation (that's me!) and with your support I can continue at my current break-neck pace and (eventually) expand the reach of BSV's message even further!
A Note Regarding YouTube Ad Revenue:
While the Bite Size Vegan YouTube channel is "monetized" for ads, given the topics I address, most videos are demonetized by YouTube as they're "not advertiser friendly." (Which makes sense when most ads are for animal products!) Those videos that remain monetized have extremely low "CPM" (as advertisers pay more for topics in-line with their products, the amount per "click" on the channel is very low). As a result, the channel currently brings in around $200/month from YouTube, though the exact amount can be a little less or more than this average.
When you become a Patron of Bite Size Vegan, you are saying that vegan education is important and vital work. You are taking a stand for the animals. You are enlisting in the Nugget Army and fighting for the liberation of all beings and the eradication of ignorance-based cruelty. I truly believe that education is where the vegan movement is going to gain the most ground.
By changing minds, we save lives.
Aside from the pride you can take from being a card-carrying member of the Nugget Army, you'll also get some pretty awesome rewards. You'll be my front-line and have first-access to everything I'm creating, thinking and doing. And you'll have my undying gratitude and thanks.
The Patreon platform does not currently support one-time donations, outside of pledging and then cancelling your pledge. However, there are alternative ways to support Bite Size Vegan financially. You can always make a one-time donation (or recurring) through PayPal, or if you prefer something more concrete, check out the BSV Wishlist.
Your support goes directly to the creation of more vegan education. A while back, I created a detailed infographic breakdown of how Patreon pledges are allocated. However, the expenses as Bite Size Vegan has been shifting structure and expanding have changed enormously!
I will be creating and adding a new infographic as soon as I possibly can—I'm currently overloaded with job applications and foundational work for the nonprofit. But I decided it was better to not have one than to leave an inaccurate overview on this page.
In the meantime, I wanted to at least provide some general points for understanding the scope of the current funding needs. [Also, please see "A Note Regarding YouTube Ad Revenue" for YouTube income questions.]
Bite Size Vegan needs your support now more than ever—in order to expand, I must bring on paid staff and contractors, hire accounting and legal services, and more.
- The full-time staff member alone requires a full salary
- Contractors require per-job and/or hourly compensation (and many are needed)
- Accounting, payroll and legal services are vital for an organization, but a significant expense!
- The data storage and hardware are significant investments as Bite Size Vegan's content continues to expand
- The website overhaul alone will require around 4-5 months of Bite Size Vegan's current Patreon income
This is not by any means an exhaustive list—I'll work to make the infographic more comprehensive
Please also see the list at the top of this description and the breakdown in the "goal" section sidebar for more details on the needs for this time of restructuring and growth.
If you're not in a place to support Bite Size Vegan financially, that is more than okay! There are so many ways to help out- subscribing to the channel (be sure to "enable notifications" by clicking the bell after subscribing), watching the videos, sharing them in every place you can think of, encouraging people to check out BSV's channel and website and to connect with me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google+ and Tumblr, suggesting BSV to podcasts, magazines and websites for potential coverage, shopping through the BSV Amazon, V-Dog or Vegan Cuts affiliate links or Zazzle Store- all on the Shop Page, and anything else creative you can think of!
Whatever you do to support Bite Size Vegan, I am so very grateful! I genuinely appreciate each and every one of you- without you, I'm just a vegan in front of a camera - but together we can change the world.
If you want to see for yourself whether my work is something worthy of your support, here are some samples of my video activism:
Some of my most highly-researched videos include:
The Best We Have To Offer? | Inside Ireland’s “Humane” Farming
An in-depth speech I gave in Dublin,
covering the "humane debate" as embodied in Ireland's Idyllic grass-feed animal agriculture. Essentially answering the assertion "It's Not Like That Here!"
The Extremism Of Veganism | Exposing The Greatest Lie
A revealing speech exposing the problem of vegan extremism and delving into a deception so great it affects us all.
Europe’s Dark Secret: Eye-Opening Speech!
A speech I delivered in Portugal with a focus on EU issues and an emphasis on the universal nature of our treatment of animals.
Empty Oceans: Is The World Running Out Of Fish?
Report detailing what the most up-to-date research says about the state of our oceans and its impact on all life on this planet.
Everything Wrong With Environmentalism in 11 Minutes or Less
A fast-paced catalogue of all the misinformation and inefficacy of the environmental movement.
The Crime of Raising Vegan Kids
Responding to the criminalization of feeding children a "vegan diet" & looking at what's
really killing our kids.
The Great Egg Conspiracy
Investigating the cover-ups in the egg industry over decades.
The History of Veganism Series
A highly researched & cited ongoing series.
Is This Vegan? Series, IncludingAn ongoing series assessing the "vegan-ness" of various practices, products and more, including:
[Many more educational videos in this playlist]
Open Your Eyes
A mini-documentary addressing what animals in the food industry experience.
The Nicest Way To Die
A powerful and heartbreaking look at the “most humane” method of killing pigs.
I've Lost All Hope For Humanity
A raw reaction to an inexcusable tragedy.
Live Streams from Slaughterhouses
Videos I've streamed live to the channel from slaughterhouses in Iowa and the UK.
What Vegans See
A non-graphic video for non-vegans explaining veganism approachably.
The Greatest Lie Ever Told | Slam Poem
A performative poem focusing on the concept of "humane" animal products & accepted norms.
How Many Animals Are Killed Every Year & How Little We Care
My attempt to account for every life
Do Animals Grieve?
The emotional experiences of non-humans.
Holocaust Survivors Speak: Lessons From The Death Camps
Testimonials from Holocaust survivors turned animal activists.
My "Draw My Life" Series
Using the popular YouTube tag to speak from the animals' perspectives.
Some of my videos for kids include:
[ More videos in the Vegan Kids playlist]
Some of My Vegan Humor Videos Include:
You can also navigate my content here. [Though one of the upcoming goals is complete re-design of the Bite Size Vegan website to make the content far more navigable and searchable!]
