When we launched the North Fork Sun, we believed this community deserved something that has become increasingly rare: ambitious, deeply reported local journalism.

Not just another website chasing clicks. Not press releases rewritten into stories. Not quick headlines that disappear by tomorrow.

We set out to ask difficult questions. To sit through the meetings others skip. To dig into public records. To explain complicated issues without taking sides. To profile the people, businesses, nonprofits and volunteers who make the North Fork one of the most remarkable places to live.

Over the past year, that's exactly what we've done.

We've investigated vital land use issues, government decisions that affect your taxes and your quality of life and spearheaded accountability journalism. We've examined environmental threats, public safety issues and government inaction. We've told the stories of entrepreneurs taking risks, artists pursuing their passions, students achieving remarkable things and neighbors quietly making our communities stronger.

Those stories don't happen by accident. They require days of reporting, dozens of interviews, document requests, fact-checking, photography, editing and the experience to know which questions still need asking after everyone else has packed up and gone home.

Advertising helps support that work. But today, advertising alone isn't enough to sustain the kind of local journalism every community deserves.

That's why we're asking for your help.

Your contribution won't go toward corporate overhead or distant shareholders. It will help fund more reporting. More investigative work. More accountability journalism. More in-depth features that preserve and celebrate the history and character of the North Fork. It will allow us to bring in talented writers and photographers, expand our coverage and spend more time pursuing the stories that matter most.

The North Fork Sun is free because we believe everyone should have access to reliable local news. But free to read doesn't mean free to produce.

If you've ever read one of our investigations, shared one of our stories, discovered a local business through our coverage or learned something new about your community because of our reporting, we hope you'll consider becoming part of this effort.

Local journalism belongs to the people it serves.

With your support, we can continue asking hard questions, telling meaningful stories and building the independent newsroom the North Fork deserves.

Thank you for believing that local journalism is worth investing in.

Chris Francescani

Publisher

FAQs

Are donations to the North Fork Sun Community Reporting Project tax-deductible?

Yes, our fiscal sponsor, Local Media Foundation, is a 501(c)3 corporation. The North Fork Sun is an independent local news outlet serving Long Island's North Fork with investigative, enterprise and accountability journalism on the land use, environmental and housing issues that matter most to this community.

Donations to Local Media Foundation for this project are tax-deductible to the extent of the law. No goods or services are provided in exchange for contributions. Please consult a tax advisor for details. The program is administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36‐4427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association.

Is the North Fork Sun a non-profit?

No, the North Fork Sun does not have a 501(c)3 status, but because it operates under a fiscal sponsorship in partnership with the Local Media Foundation, all contributions to the North Fork Sun are tax-deductible. As a fiscal sponsor, Local Media Foundation provides financial oversight, ensuring that all funds raised comply with nonprofit regulations and adhere to Local Media Foundation’s charitable purpose of serving under-covered communities by supporting the next generation of journalists to do on-the-ground reporting and to advance sustainability, innovation and equity in journalism worldwide.

Can I submit a donation by check?

Yes, checks should be made out to Local Media Foundation, and can be mailed to:

Local Media Foundation
P.O. Box 85015
Chicago, IL 60689-5033

MEMO: North Fork Sun

Can my business donate to the North Fork Sun?

Yes, while we allow individual donors, at their choosing, to remain anonymous, we do disclose any corporate gifts of more than $5,ooo.

Why are you asking for donations?

Because the economics of local journalism have fundamentally changed. The print advertising that once supported community newspapers no longer exists at the levels it once did, and while print ads still command far higher rates than digital ads, the cost of printing and distributing a newspaper makes that model unrealistic for a small, independent newsroom like the North Fork Sun. We depend on digital advertising, but it simply doesn't generate enough revenue to pay for the kind of experienced, time-intensive reporting that holds government accountable, uncovers important stories and shines a light on the people and places that make the North Fork unique. Reader contributions make that work possible while keeping our journalism free for everyone.

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