In our last issue, we shared the news that the Patagonia Regional Times had been accepted for membership by the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN). This month we are equally excited to tell you about our participation in NewsMatch, a national fundraising program that will match donations we receive between Nov 1 and Dec. 31, up to $1000 per donation, doubling the impact of your donations.
“NewsMatch started at the Knight Foundation in 2016 as a “call to action for everyone who believes in quality, trustworthy, in-depth journalism and the role nonprofit news organizations play in building strong communities, ”according to a report from the Nieman Journalism Lab. In the last four years, NewsMatch has helped nonprofit news organizations raise more than $15.8 million. In 2018, they helped 154 newsrooms raise more than $7.6 million. There are 196 newsrooms, including the PRT, participating in this year’s campaign.
NewsMatch will match donations received by the PRT from individuals, family foundations and small businesses. This means that for every dollar you donate to the PRT during November and December, the PRT will receive two dollars.
New donors pledging monthly support will be matched for twelve months of donations. In addition, if we can secure 100 new donors, we will be eligible for a goal-based bonus. Last year’s bonus was an additional $5000.
So why is this campaign so critical for the PRT? As a nonprofit newspaper, the PRT depends heavily on its supporters, its advertisers, its volunteers and its subscribers for its operating expenses. With additional funding we would be able to hire needed support staff and interns. In the current digital landscape of news media, funding will be used towards upgrading and expanding our online presence for which the PRT needs to invest in more sophisticated software and computers.
And why should you participate in this fundraising campaign? The PRT is your only source of local news that focuses exclusively on the exciting and diverse communities of eastern Santa Cruz County and the issues that affect us, including the border, water issues, mining, the environment and our schools. The PRT has committed staff and volunteer writers who produce quality articles, and strives to be the voice of our community. As a nonprofit newspaper the PRT’s only focus is on providing quality journalism, but the PRT can’t do this without your support.
If you have contributed to the PRT before, please consider making this year’s gift during the NewsMatch campaign between Nov.1 and Dec. 31. If you haven’t given before, please consider a donation this year. Supporting local news is in everybody’s best interest.