Last week, we launched our end-of-year member drive. Thanks so much to the 5 RANGEheads who already signed up this month! You are our heroes.
In total, 634 of your neighbors have already shown up for us, proving that community news has community support. Will you join them and ensure RANGE can continue to produce journalism that truly serves the Inland Northwest?
Back in August, we shared what sustainability means for RANGE. We know that we can no longer rely on grants — nor do we want to. Being 100% reader-funded means that we can continue to critique the decisions of the powerful and break down how policies impact your everyday lives.
Last year, only 17% of our funding came from reader revenue. This year, thanks to your support this summer, we are on track to nearly double that. Right now we're projecting 30% of our annual gross revenue of $300,000 will come from members. If this end of year campaign goes well, we might cross the $100,000 mark, just from members.
With your support (and a little bit of faith), we can increase that percentage every year. You can help us prove that being 100% reader-funded is possible, as long as we produce news that truly meets your needs.
It's a testament to this community that we have made it this far, but compared to the budgets of other news operations in our area, $300,000 is tiny. How do we do so much with so little? Three things:
- Our efficiency
- Our editorial focus
- Our ownership structure
Let's start with efficiency: Physical newspapers are very expensive to print. Broadcast towers are expensive to maintain. Websites and newsletter apps? Much cheaper. As a digital publication, we maximize our dollars by investing in our people. 84% of RANGE's budget pays for the journalism done by our reporters and editors.
Editorially, our mission is clear. When we ask ourselves, "is this a RANGE story?" it means:
- We report for the overlooked, which means we choose to always ask, rather than assume, we know what communities need. We don’t just speak to spokespeople or PR firms—we go straight to the source to make sure the concerns of those impacted the most get a space on the page.
- We make information accessible, which means NEVER putting our news behind a paywall. But it also means translating jargon, legalese and complicated processes into interesting articles, like how we broke down the implications of ballot initiatives on your election ballot.
- We empower everyone in our community toward change, which means keeping you abreast of important political decisions that impact you and giving you time to take action before decisions are made for you. In practice, this looks like our CIVICS newsletter breaking down that week’s municipal meetings.
- We are accurate, fair and transparent. We can and do talk to everyone relevant to a story and present the facts accurately and their perspective fairly. And because our mission is helping people decode and gain confidence navigating the often confusing world of government, we also explain what we don't know, why the story is important, and what you can do to make your voice heard.
- We hold a floodlight to those who wield power. Reporting for working people often means looking in the darkest corners to shine a light on imbalances of power other people take for granted.
- We're brutal with institutions & kind to people. Our job, fundamentally, is about pointing out institutional and human failings, and drawing lines of accountability.
Lastly, ownership: being a worker-owned cooperative means the journalists — the people closest to our community — make the decisions.
Our priorities will never change just because some shareholders demand it. The journalists at RANGE are in control of our destiny and you — the RANGE reader — are in control of our budget.
We promise to remain laser-focused on Spokane's biggest needs and our most impacted communities, if you promise to keep gas in the tank.
We set a goal for monthly members because it’s the best way for RANGE to remain sustainable. Your $10 each month means we know what funds we’ll have for sure—and makes it easier for us to budget for upcoming investigations.
We just need 45 more of you to take the leap and become a member. For as little as $10/month or $100/year, you can keep RANGE sustainable and ensure the Inland Northwest has a news outlet that cares about making it a better place to live for everyone. (Plus, we have a sweet perk coming soon for members.)
