Winter Park Voice Joins 380 Newsrooms in Raising Millions for Nonprofit News
The donations and matching dollars are essential in helping the Voice achieve its mission of providing stories that would otherwise go uncovered in Winter Park
March 31, 2025
Staff Report
The Winter Park Voice and 380 other nonprofit news outlets secured more than $55 million in individual donations from their audiences in 2024 as part of the nationwide NewsMatch program, now heading into its 10th year.
The results represent an 18% increase in donations from 2023 and the highest in the program’s history.
NewsMatch is a collaborative effort: The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) raises money to seed a pooled fund for matching gifts, and INN member organizations like the Voice fundraise with their audiences in November and December to become eligible for those gifts. Participants also receive fundraising training, tools and services through INN and its partner News Revenue Hub.
The program is a key way news outlets have attracted and diversified donors during a prolonged period of contraction and instability in the news industry.
For the 2024 NewsMatch campaign, the Voice received nearly 100 donations totaling $20,000. As a result, the Voice received the maximum $15,000 in matching dollars from INN’s NewsMatch program.
“We are so grateful to our donors here in Central Florida and to INN for this incredible campaign,” said Voice Editor Beth Kassab. “People in Winter Park want news about their community from a trusted source. And it shows in their support of our work. Every dollar goes directly to our journalism and expanding the amount and variety of content we can provide.”
Kassab noted how hyperlocal organizations like the Voice are essential to reporting stories that would otherwise go uncovered and holding elected officials and others in power accountable.
“With misinformation on the rise and traditional media in decline, it’s up to sites like ours to shine a light on the facts,” Kassab said. “We follow clear reporting standards with stories backed up by public documents, public meetings and interviews with sources. We give the people and institutions in our stories the opportunity to comment. We value fairness and accuracy above everything else.”
In order to become members of INN and participate in NewsMatch, nonprofit newsrooms must meet membership standards for editorial independence, original news reporting and financial transparency.
Over nine NewsMatch campaign cycles, INN and the outlets in its network have raised more than $400 million, attracting donations from nearly half a million first-time donors and, increasingly, inspiring major donors, regional and community foundations and businesses to add news to their giving portfolios.
INN’s Executive Director and CEO Karen Rundlet calls NewsMatch “a conversation between newsrooms and their communities.”
“When a neighbor, a reader, a PTA president, a block captain, a concerned voter donates $10, $25, $100 to NewsMatch participants, it’s evidence that the community is investing in accurate and trusted information and reporting,” says Rundlet. “It’s the audience saying, ‘It matters that this exists, and I’m supporting it with my money.”
The Voice is solely supported by reader contributions and grants like the one from the Institute for Nonprofit News.
If you want to help the Winter Park Voice in its mission to serve local readers visit our contribution page.
WinterParkVoiceEditor@gmail.com
Thanks to all the wonderful folks that work on and contribute to the Winter Park Voice.
When do you file your 990s? People can see all your information.
Requires editorial independence. You do not qualify. You do not post comments you do not agree with. Particularity mine.
Well DL, the staff throw you a bone for a laugh. You are 100% correct in pointing out bias. The only reason to read anything here is to confirm what the Mayor, Commissioners and a small group are pushing. I would encourage the viewing of the Commission meetings to hear and see the Truth!
Oh do tell, Jan, what is the truth that the Voice is missing?