Somerville Media Center and Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism get equal shares of donations raised from community members
I’m pleased to report that about 20 Somervillians became the first donors to the new Somerville Media Fund this spring. Generously giving $2,330.02 to help the Fund’s initial two member news organizations—Somerville Media Center and Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism (publisher of the Somerville Wire)—report on issues of the day in Somerville at a time when the city’s news infrastructure is collapsing … threatening local democracy in the process.
As careful Wire readers may recall, the Somerville Media Fund is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation with a five-person initial board: Michael Capuano, Alain Jehlen, Mary Ellen Myhr, Kat Powers of the Somerville Media Fund, and me. All donations to the Fund are tax-deductible and 75% of all money raised is split evenly between BINJ and SMC (the other 25% going to overhead to help the foundation grow). In the future, any new nonprofit independent community news organization that launches in Somerville can apply to join the Fund and equally share the grants the foundation disburses to member news organizations every six months—once accepted as member-organizations by the Fund’s board.
At the Somerville Media Fund’s Q3 board meeting last week, the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism and the Somerville Media Center were each given unrestricted general operating grants of $873.76.
The Fund’s board looks forward to raising more money in the fall and disbursing the next grants to BINJ and SMC in January 2023.
To donate to the Somerville Media Fund, please click here: https://somervillemedia.fund/donate/.
Jason Pramas is the editor of the Somerville Wire. He is also executive director of the Boston Institute for Nonprofit Journalism and a board member of the Somerville Media Fund.
