BenitoLink's annual fundraiser the Pledge of Champions begins Nov. 1.
This year, the BenitoLink team is excited to announce $25,000 in matching funds from NewsMatch to be used as matching funds in this year's Pledge of Champions. Several individual donors have also offered to provide $25,000 to double citizen donations. This is our second year being included on the national NewsMatch list. NewsMatch is a non-partisan, joint partnership between the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), the News Revenue Hub, Democracy Fund, Knight Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation and the Miami Foundation. which support local, nonprofit news providers like Benitolink.
As newspapers have collapsed and media outlets have struggled nationally, NewsMatch funders have worked hard to help local news providers like BenitoLink build strong, healthy businesses through matching funds, training and supporting young journalists.
Several local donors have stepped up for San Benito County's community supported, nonprofit news and information website by providing $25,000 additional matching funds, bringing the total available for match to $50,000. By supporting your community-based news, citizens can ensure that BenitoLink will continue to take on more reporting projects and get the answers our readers need. These donors and NewsMatch want to see local news succeed.
Community members are being asked to support their local news and take advantage of this $50,000 match and double the funds raised in this year's "2018 Pledge of Champions" fundraiser. Major donors contributing to the match bringing it to the $50,000 total include Randy and Rebecca Wolf Family Foundation, Hugh and Jackie Bikle and the Calhoun and Christiano Family Fund. Community members who donate can be matched up to $1,000 per individual.
2019 BenitoLink Projects:
Complete updated BenitoLink website. (In process, thanks in part to the Community Foundation for San Benito County.)
Expand Junior Journalism Project working with students in San Benito County schools.
Fund and develop our Latinx and Young Adult Reporting and BenitoLink news production opportunities.
Increase deep dive and investigative journalism projects
Collaborate on civil, nonpartisan local issue forums and continue with solutions journalism approach to local challenges.
To keep these projects humming along, San Benito County residents and BenitoLink readers are being asked to match this $50,000 during our Pledge of Champions which runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31.
BenitoLink is a community supported, not-for-profit news and information website created locally by San Benito County residents. A successful campaign means $100,000 in funding to keep your local news source online and provide expanded, factual, in-depth reporting on the subjects that matter to you most.
NewsMatch’s goal is “to support nonprofit news organizations that play a vital role informing the public and holding those in power accountable.” This boost, which is a great opportunity and the BenitoLink team greatly appreciates, will be used to fill in some of our coverage gaps and improve the website. Over the last year, BenitoLink has looked into financial irregularities in the county and school districts and uncovered ongoing issues with under-qualified and minimal staff.
“People are increasingly looking to nonprofit news to fill their information needs,” said Sue Cross, a representative of NewsMatch and executive director of the Institute for Nonprofit News. “We need to continue that momentum and build an infrastructure that supports organizations that deliver fact-based, nonpartisan, accountable journalism.”
All NewsMatch nonprofit news sites, like BenitoLink, were previously approved based on transparent funding and being required to produce public service and/or investigative reporting.
BenitoLink is one of 140 organizations included in this outstanding national matching fund opportunity.
“We thank our major donors who have been key to BenitoLink's growth and service to the community," BenitoLink Executive Director Leslie David said. "This support has allowed us to offer three election forums this year, helping the voter meet the candidates and have a better understanding of the measures."
Note: All news organizations participating in News Match must be members in good standing of the Institute for Nonprofit News. To be a member, an organization must be a 501(c)(3) or have a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor, must be transparent about funding sources, and produce investigative and/or public service reporting. Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. To learn more, visit newsmatch.org for more information.
