The Occupy Money Cooperative, the financial organization organizers of the Occupy Wall Street protests seek to establish, said it is raising almost $1 million dollars for its initial budget and product.

Organizers announced the cooperative's founding in July, and the revelation that it would begin offering a prepaid card drew initial criticism. But the organizers countered that the prepaid card was the most affordable and easiest financial product to offer lower-income people and said they might be open to starting a credit union later.

In an email message to supporters, organizers said they sought to raise $900,000 starting Tuesday to formally set up the organization and launch the Occupy Card.  They also promised transparency.