Our Capital Campaign Goals and Needs
Long-time supporter Ellie Krug explains how crucial it is that MN Women’s Press receives financial support from readers
From a recent story about the struggles of print media around the country: Last year, more than 2.5 newspapers shut down per week, according to a Northwestern University report, which added that nearly 2,900 local papers and 43,000 reporting jobs have been lost since 2005.
October 31, 2024: From Publisher Mikki Morrissette
There was huge bad news, and good news, this week for Minnesota Women’s Press. Because we have been short on revenue the last few months, and didn’t get grants we were hoping for, I made the difficult decision this week that we would have to close down after the December issue, as we were short on payroll for our end-of-month deadline. I had always known that when we cannot pay our small hard-working staff, it was time to stop. The $7.5K we had raised from donors this month was not going to be enough to support our expected revenue gap over the next two months.
But… two staff members volunteered to defray their pay to buy more time.
And, an angel investor arrived October 30 afternoon!
That, plus the generous $10K matching grant from a long-time supporter — and a new $4,000 donation — will enable us to clear our debts, and start looking for a statewide membership and development director to help boost 2025 revenue streams — including the Big Celebration of our 40th Anniversary! Details for the spring event will be sent soon to Badass members.
No job description is ready yet, but let me know at editor@womenspress.com if you know someone — outside Twin Cities is welcome — who would be skilled at helping us grow our statewide exposure to new members, as well as to help me find content development underwriting and grants.
We still need to raise $46K in order to boost staff salaries — which have been low since the pandemic — and make necessary tech purchases to replace outdated equipment, as well as make plans for Greater Minnesota conversations to expand metro/non-metro connections and action-oriented events around shared values and issues.
From Recent Donors
Marcia: You are doing important, impactful work and can do even more with additional resources. Happy to contribute!
Denise: You go Ladies!
Lyn: I recently got a painting contractor through a MWP ad, and was extremely happy with her! I get the hard copy and still prefer to have the magazine/paper in my hands to read it….and then I pass it on to a friend or a restaurant server or leave it in a medical office.
Marlene: Minnesota Women’s Press continues to a highlight the rich contributions of women leaders, digs deep into the range of issues that affect the well being of women and documents the changes that strengthen women’s role in our communities.
Ann: Thank you for making a difference.
Why We Need to Raise $100K$46.4K This Fall
Our monthly expenses, and what we can do after we raise $100K to bolster our sustainability:
- Salaries, benefits, 75+ freelance writers, and independent contractors (42%) — instead of having staff reporters who do all the storytelling, we (modestly) pay people who write their own stories, with a small pool of reporters we hire for deeper stories
- Office supplies, rent, and business loan (31%)
- Magazine print and distribution (27%) — enables us to reach primarily the Twin Cities region, and subscribers, in a visible way at our 420+ distribution sites (and brings in 60 percent of revenue)
- With a new member and development director we hope to increase our revenue by $120,000 in 2025, enabling us to expand our reach into Greater Minnesota, increase salaries to market rate, and sustain our team at the six people we need.
What we can do with more team and funds is host more great forums like this one:
Why We Need to Raise $100K$95K This Fall
September 17, 2024 — If you have been reading our newsletter for awhile, you know that we have been struggling with revenue, as are most print platforms (Facebook and Google have decimated the past reliance on print advertising). Closures are common in media. We have been pivoting to diversify our revenue streams since 2020 in order to rely less on print advertising, which has thus far adjusted to be 60 percent of our income (from 80 percent).
Good news to report:
1) This week we kick off a $100,000 capital campaign. It is a daunting ask for us, since we don’t have a development director trained for this kind of work. But we have four full-time and two part-time staff members, as well as loyal readers and advertisers, dedicated to helping us get to celebrate the magazine’s 40th anniversary in April. Each week we will share how we are doing, together with you as engaged readers, to meet that goal.
We now have five primary revenue streams:
- Print advertising (60%) — supports our ability to print and distribute the magazine (as do our print subscribers)
- Underwriting (15%) — enables us to develop content in supported areas; for example, financial planner Joan Gilles has long supported our ability to produce Perspectives commentaries)
- Grants & Gifts (13%) — thanks to our fiscal agent, we are able to take checks, online gifts, and grants that are tax deductible if sent through Local Media Foundation, to support our action-oriented CALL online story sharing
- Online/newsletter advertising (10%) — supports our ability to develop two weekly newsletters and womenspress.com
- Badass membership (2%) — starting as low as $5/month, this invaluable support from readers helps propel our ongoing Changemakers Alliance (CALL) series about “Diversity in Politics,” “Collective Health” (addressing housing, mental health, gender-based violence, transforming justice), “Hometown Values & Vision” conversations from Greater Minnesota, and “Ecolution” (revitalizing local ecosystems and economies)
2) We got a $5K underwriting check in this week from Valvoline to support our “Diversity in Politics” series, so we are on our way!
3) I met with media justice capstone students at St. Kate’s to discuss collaboration on our coverage about redefining what effective (feminist) leadership looks like, and how to get that messaging to statewide voters this election cycle who might cling to the idea that men are generally stronger leaders. We also discussed collaboration around the topics of reproductive rights, healthcare, disabilities, and queer justice.
4) We are in discussions with two potential partners for expanding our Greater Minnesota conversations.
What you can do is share this newsletter with people who do not know the stories we amplify about powerful everyday women.
We currently have 199 201 Badass members.
Can you be an ambassador with your network?
DONATE
For 2025 coverage, Minnesota Women’s Press earned a community leadership award, three photography awards, and four editorial awards, including for coverage of social issues and for our Spring 2025 “Know Your Rights” special section supported by Unidos MN. Our publisher was named Journalist of the Year by Violence Free Minnesota for gender-based violence coverage.
