VTDigger reporter Shaun Robinson takes notes on the opening day of the Legislature at the Statehouse in Montpelier on Wednesday, January 3, 2024. Photo by Glenn Russell/VTDigger
Dear Readers,
We are thrilled to share the results of our Fall Member Drive with you. Thanks to your generosity, not only did we hit our goal of raising $75,000 for critical election coverage and local news this fall, but we surpassed our expectations—receiving more donations from more small-dollar donors than ever before in a Fall Drive.
This means more to us than words can convey. As Seven Days documented earlier this year, the past few years have been challenging for many Vermont news sources, including VTDigger. UVM’s study revealing that Vermont has lost 75% of its journalism jobs over the past quarter-century was a sobering reminder that local news is truly at risk.
Fifteen years ago, VTDigger was founded to fill the growing news void. The need was pressing then, and it has become more urgent. To reinvest in local journalism, it will take collective action. And this month, you showed us that you’re willing to take that action. Thank you.
More than 1,590 supporters from across Vermont — from Bennington to Newport and everywhere in between — demonstrated that you care about local news. Many of you became new recurring members, ensuring that we can launch ambitious investigations and plan for the future with confidence.
Your words of encouragement reinforce our commitment to providing trusted, independent journalism. Time and again, you’ve told us that you value VTDigger for its rigorous reporting, local focus and role in keeping Vermont well-informed — something you say is essential to our democracy. Your personal connections to Vermont and your determination to sustain local news in a challenging environment inspire us.
We hear from many of you that you wish for more coverage of Vermont’s smaller towns and more investigative news. Thanks to your support, we will strengthen our existing coverage and reinvest in Vermont’s press corps, striving to ensure that communities large and small have access to reliable, in-depth reporting.
As I write I can say, on behalf of all of us here, that we’re quietly stunned by your show of loyalty and support.
Thank you for standing with us. Together, we’ll continue to find a way forward.
Sincerely,
Libbie Sparadeo
Director of Membership and Engagement, VTDigger
Read the story on VTDigger here: It takes a village: VTDigger Fall Member Drive a success.