As we kick off 2021 and glean lessons on what 2020 has meant for PublicSource, we are pleased to report that thanks to our readers and supporters, our end-of-year fundraising efforts were hugely successful. Through the gifts of our generous members, the support of the NewsMatch campaign, a generous contribution from the Wyncote Foundation, and the kindness of the supporters who helped establish our local match pool, we will receive over $70,000 to continue our work in 2021. We finished 2020 with over 1,000 members, which includes people who chose to support our work at any amount in the last calendar year, and we are beyond grateful for it. We know that times are hard for many people, and every contribution we receive matters to us.
Your support allowed us to publish over 390 stories and launch our first podcast. You used our stories to create significant community impact, including new legislation, programs and accountability for elected officials.
In 2020, more than 133,000 of you read PublicSource each month, bringing over 2.4 million pageviews to publicsource.org.
It’s our goal to be an essential news provider for the Pittsburgh region, and we are honored to know that so many of you value local independent journalism and include PublicSource in your media diet. Please accept our many thanks for your support and our promise that we will continue to deliver the uncompromising, rigorous, in-depth journalism you deserve.
There are always more local stories that need to be told, and we continue to seek out ways to meet more of the region’s information needs. For instance, we’re currently seeking a journalist to cover race relations in our area through Report for America, and PublicSource will need to raise half of the funds to support this essential work. If you weren’t able to contribute to the end of year fundraising drive but wish to show your support now, please consider making a one-time or monthly donation at whatever level is comfortable for you.
If you are looking to support PublicSource in non-financial ways, please consider sharing our work with friends and family, whether on social media or in other ways. We know that word of mouth is the primary way that Pittsburghers learn about our reporting. Readers like you make that happen.
Again, on behalf of our entire team, thank you for reading, for sharing, for giving, and most of all, for caring about the Pittsburgh region, the place we call home.
