The Public Press business model is similar to the handful of local nonprofit Web‐only journalism startups around the country in many respects. But it differs in that it will not depend entirely on grants and donations. The Public Press will raise funds from four sources:
MEMBERSHIP SUBSCRIPTIONS AND NEWSSTAND SALES
Members who join the organization at the basic level will receive a free subscription newspaper. This model reflects the success of several nonprofit journalism organization such as Consumer Reports, National Geographic and hundreds of public broadcast stations.
INDIVIDUAL DONATIONS AND MEMBER “PLEDGES”
The Public Press will solicit additional donations from members through billing statements. It will also seek donations through periodic member fundraising events and pursue legacy gifts, matching grants and other large donations from local philanthropists.
FOUNDATION GRANTS
The Public Press is in the process of preparing more than 50 grant proposals to be submitted by spring of 2009 to charitable foundations that support activities related to journalism, media, public affairs and / or increasing civic participation.
“CROWDFUNDING” THROUGH SPOT.US PARTNERSHIP
We will raise revenues from new and alternative fundraising models, such as Spot.us, which raises small amounts of money for individual freelance journalism projects from internet users.
Next: Fundraising Achievements of 2008
Back: Costs – Advantages of Noncommercial Publishing
Return to the main Strategic Plan: 2009-2011 page
