Nonprofits

BenitoLink receives a record $105k in NewsMatch campaign

BenitoLink reader donations brought in $80,000 through small and large donations and nonprofit newsroom was rewarded for that by getting a larger match than expected from INN.
BenitoLink team working on candidate election forum questions. Photo by Jonathan Crowther.
BenitoLink team working on candidate election forum questions. Photo by Jonathan Crowther.

Benitolink has some wonderful national partners who are determined to rebuild local nonprofit news and see it thrive. The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) is one of them and BenitoLink has just received our final match figure from our 2021 Fall Fundraising Campaign. Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) NewsMatch and the Knight Foundation delivered way beyond the original $13,000 pledged to us. Instead BenitoLink was sent a NewsMatch check for $25,500, thanks to two areas in which we excelled: robust community support through local matching funds of all sizes and strong representation of our diverse community on the BenitoLink team and board of directors. 

This confirms that we surpassed our $80,000 fall campaign goal and reached $105,500 for the first time ever! Local residents gave $80,000 in small, medium and larger donations and INN then nearly doubled their match promise. Year after year, San Benito County residents impress our nonprofit news partners with their commitment to their own local news. Our thanks goes to all of our BenitoLink readers who took part in the NewsMatch.

The BenitoLink team recognizes our amazing local, regional and even worldwide readers who continue to support nonprofit news on an individual level. Today, BenitoLink sees small donations showing appreciation for San Benito coverage from Aromas to South County. But we also see your donations and personal notes from the East Coast to Mexico and even Sydney, Australia.

Your dollars will go toward San Benito County news coverage, in-depth and investigative reporting and BenitoLink-hosted events including election forums, town halls and in-person gatherings throughout 2022. 

The NewsMatch is a way for INN to reward newsrooms like BenitoLink, which enjoy strong grassroots financial support. BenitoLink receives donations from the community ranging from $9 to over $20,000. We thank our 2021 matching funders Randy and Rebecca Wolf, Sallie Calhoun, Matt Christiano and our BenitoLink board members, who gave an early boost to the campaign.

Thank you to all of the folks who make BenitoLink possible!

2021 BenitoLink Fall Campaign donors:

2022 BenitoLink donors list.
2022 BenitoLink donors list.

 

We also appreciate the financial support we receive from BenitoLink sponsors: Anderson Homes, Breen Law Firm, Brigantino Irrigation, Calvista Insurance Agency, CASA San Benito, Community Foundation for San Benito County, Del Mar Caregivers, Ferreira Kunz Group, Gavilan College, Golden Memorial, Graniterock, Great Clips, Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, Health Projects Center, Heritage Bank of Commerce, Hollister Cannabis Co., Hollister Floors and More, Hollister Super & Windmill Market, Martha’s Kitchen, San Benito Foods, San Benito Realty, San Benito Integrated Waste Mgmt., Stonebridge Homes, Swank Farms, Taylor Farms, Twin Oaks, United Way of San Benito County, Water Resources Association of San Benito County (W.R.A.S.B.C.).  

BenitoLink also thanks the following foundations: 

Community Foundation for San Benito County, Institute for Nonprofit News, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Democracy Fund, California Humanities, Monterey Peninsula Foundation/AT&T Golf Tournament, United Way, Emma Bowen Foundation and the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

We want to thank our major donors who have consistently supported nonprofit structured news- BenitoLink so all residents and readers can have free, accessible news & information. Major donors in 2022 were Randy and Rebecca Wolf, Sallie Calhoun and Matt Christiano, and the BenitoLink Board of Directors: Rohit Sharma, Lois Locci, Heather Callens, Chang So, Dave Wright, Phil Esparza and Chuck Sorbet.

Together, with your continued involvement, we can continue to build a dynamic, nonpartisan and accountable news organization that San Benito County residents deserve.

 

 We need your help. Support local, nonprofit news! BenitoLink is a nonprofit news website that reports on San Benito County. Our team is committed to this community and providing essential, accurate information to our fellow residents. It is expensive to produce local news and community support is what keeps the news flowing. Please consider supporting BenitoLink, San Benito County’s public service, nonprofit news.

Leslie David

Leslie David is a Bay Area independent reporter/producer and is a BenitoLink founding board member. She has produced for radio, television, newspaper and magazines in both California and Wyoming. She was with KRON-TV News in San Francisco as camera-woman, editor and field producer, where she won the Commonwealth Club's Thomas Storke Award with Linda Yee for their series on the Aids Epidemic. She started as a small market news reporter shooting her own 16mm film at KEYT-TV Santa Barbara. Leslie lives on a ranch with her family in San Benito County.