Dear Friends:
Here are at VTDigger, we are excited to be heading into the final months of 2017 with a number of successes.
- The Vermont Supreme Court unanimously ruled that public officials who use private emails for government business are subject to the Vermont Public Records Act, ending the use of a loophole that completely undermined the public’s right to know law. VTDigger led the effort to support the case with an amicus brief on behalf of state news organizations.
- Our investigation into fraud allegations at Jay Peak has garnered recognition from three national journalism organizations. In August, federal regulators cited VTDigger’s work in a memo announcing the closure of the Vermont EB-5 Regional Center.
- We published Teflon Town, a five-part series on the impact of PFOA contamination on residents in Bennington County that investigated the state’s failure to enforce air emissions control laws and produced a video with residents who are sick from PFOA contamination and can’t sell their homes.
We can do this work because of you – Vermonters of all stripes coming together to support the power of journalism at a time when readers need excellent local reporting that makes a difference in our state.
We are delighted to launch our 2017 Annual Fund Campaign today with some great news.
As you may remember, last December the Knight Foundation surprised VTDigger and 56 other news organizations around the country with a donor match challenge. This year, Knight Foundation is teaming up with the Democracy Fund and the MacArthur Foundation to offer a $28,000 News Match Challenge. Your donation up to $1,000 will be matched dollar-for-dollar.
Our great news is this – because of your generosity, VTDigger readers have already given $20,000 towards the challenge since it opened on October 1st – we only have $8,000 left to raise to receive the full News Match Challenge grant.
We invite you to be a contributor to the News Match Challenge and show our national funders that their continued investment in VTDigger is vital to you and worthy of their support.
Your previous support has proven to these large funders that their investment in small organizations like ours matter.
Please help us meet this year’s challenge. We have $8,000 left to raise to access the full News Match Challenge and start our Annual Fund Campaign with a great success.
HOW TO MAKE A MATCHED GIFT
- Online: VTDigger.org/donate
- Call: (802) 225-6224
- Mail: make checks payable to VTDigger, 26 State St., Montpelier VT 05602
Our Annual Fund Campaign goal this year is $350,000 to support delivering more news to you than we ever have before. We’ve already raised $40,000 through News Match – help us to reach our goal before the end of the year!
All donors will also be entered into a raffle to win a snowshoe package from our friends at Onion River Sports.
We couldn’t do our work without you. Thank you for your support.
Anne Galloway
Editor, VTDigger.org
