Today VTDigger is publicly announcing a transformational investment from the American Journalism Project in VTDigger’s business operations as a model for nonprofit news nationally.
AJP will invest $900,000 in VTDigger’s business operations over three years. It is the largest foundation gift VTDigger has received.
VTDigger Editor Anne Galloway says the investment will build the organization’s revenue capacity on the business side, yielding sustainable, ongoing returns to support newsgathering.
“VTDigger has an unprecedented opportunity to increase our news impact,” Galloway said. “Over the past decade, market forces have decimated the news industry. As a result, our democracy is at risk. We are grateful for the opportunity to strengthen our model and share the lessons we have learned over the years — many of them the hard way– with our peers across the country.”
AJP is a new groundbreaking venture philanthropy organization dedicated to supporting local news. The nonpartisan organization makes grants to promising local civic news organizations, offers business expertise to grantees, and catalyzes local financial support.
As David Leonhardt pointed out in his New York Times article about AJP’s first grantees, local journalism is shown to increase civic engagement and voter turnout while limiting political corruption and polarization. AJP’s mission is grounded in an understanding of the scope and gravity of the news crisis.
So what does this mean for VTDigger?
First, it means expanded business operations.
We have grown organically over the past decade from a one-woman operation, gradually increasing the staff to a newsroom of 20 reporters and editors, and a business office of six. For years, we have operated without sufficient business office capacity to support the newsroom.
AJP will support the hire of new tech and business positions over the next three years that will ensure the continued growth and sustainability of our newsroom for years to come.
In order to secure this investment, VTDigger needs to continue proving that we have the support of our local community and philanthropic donors. AJP’s investment in our business operations means that more local donations can go toward strengthening our newsroom and newsgathering capacity.
Second, as members of AJP’s first grantmaking cohort, we will have the chance to learn from innovative nonprofit journalism outlets across the country. We are also excited to share our ideas about membership, e-commerce, and underwriting with other media organizations in the AJP cohort. Read more about the other grantees here.
Finally, and most importantly, this is an opportunity to find new ways of supporting local media and to contribute to a growing national movement that calls on Americans to regard journalism as a public good that should be supported in the same way we maintain our parks, museums and schools.
This is a time to reflect and thank you, our readers and supporters, for your commitment to VTDigger’s mission of holding government accountable to the public and engaging Vermonters in the democratic process.
A civil society depends on a free press and an informed public. Thank you for your commitment to reporting that supports engagement in a free republic.