One of my favorite quotes about writing comes from journalist and author David Carr: “Writing is less about beckoning the muse than about hanging in until the typing becomes writing.” The same principle applies to launching a nonprofit. It’s less about waiting for some deep-pocketed patron to write a fat check than about hanging in until the persistence yields progress.

And we certainly made progress in 2011. Our first fundraiser — held during a torrential downpour in April — brought in just $60. But our event with author Scott Raab in November — which also coincided with a mini-monsoon, strangely — raised more than $600. In between we gained two terrific new board members, got some love from the local media, started moving into our home on Lorain Avenue, and made lots of new friends (like Prosperity Social Club, Happy Dog, mental_floss, Roots of American Music, St. Ignatius High School, Cleveland Professional 20/30 Club and Teaching Cleveland, to name just a few).

The most encouraging development of the year, however, occurred just before the holidays. That’s when we received news that the George Gund Foundation had approved a $10,000 grant for Ohio City Writers. That made our year.

But as you might guess, it’s not enough. We’re deeply grateful to the folks at Gund, and do not envy them the tough decisions they have to make in this economic climate. And that climate is precisely why Ohio City Writers’ mission will only be possible with the support of people like you. Individual contributions will build the foundation and probably three of the four walls of this project.

In short, I really need your help. Please contribute today, and encourage friends to do the same. Forward our emails and plug OCW through your social media accounts. Greater Cleveland is home to at least 2 million people; if just 2,000 of them (that’s .1 percent) donate $100 each, we’re in business. In the meantime, we’ll keep writing grant proposals and organizing events (like this one).

We’re close to opening the doors. The painting of the workshop room is nearly complete, and Sam Cahill of 2nd Shift Design Studio has been working on some exceedingly cool tables for us (more on that soon). As the space comes together we’ll start scheduling programs. Please help us maintain the momentum. Help us hang in.