We’re launching our second year-end giving campaign, which makes this an message asking for $40,000.

On January 5, The Raincross Gazette turns four years old, and 2024 was a monumental year for this upstart newsroom. Here are just a few highlights:

Revenue Growth: Our total revenue is up 345% over 2023, and I was able to start taking a paycheck after 3+ years of building this newsroom pro bono.
Reader Growth: Our subscriber base nearly doubled, and we now reach over 7,000 readers with each edition.
Team Growth: Ken Crawford joined us as the first reporter dedicated to covering Riverside in over a decade, and Amy López became our part-time Content Manager, handling stories, newsletters, and social media. We had our first-ever team holiday party because this was the first year we’ve had a complete team!

This time last year, I said:

“What is happening here at The Raincross Gazette is working – there’s just one problem. We’re not yet a financially sustainable business, but we’re so close, and now I am asking for your help.”

So here I am again; as I said earlier, this is an message asking for $40,000.

But first, I’ve got some great news to share. Through our participation in the Inland Empire Journalism Innovation Hub+Fund, powered by the Inland Empire Community Foundation, The Raincross Gazette is scheduled to receive a $20,000 grant to support the growth of our newsroom!

I am banking those dollars, combining them with some I’ve managed to save over the year, and am pledging to hire a trained and experienced full-time City Hall reporter in early 2025! Exactly when we hire them depends entirely on you–did I already tell you this is an email asking for $40,000?

The Gazette has 7,000 subscribers; we will hit our goal easily if everyone kicks in just $6. Some of you can contribute a lot more than $6, and I am personally asking you to help me build the newsroom Riverside deserves.

I often struggle with exactly how much I should share with you in these emails, and every time I choose increased vulnerability, I get such incredible responses. So here are our financial details from 2024:

Total Revenue: $191,1340
Monthly Support: $2,159
Average Monthly Support: $6

Here's something I dream about: if each of our readers kicked in $6 every month, we could hire not just one reporter but five! We might not be there yet, but I am committed to building the newsroom Riverside deserves.

This is an email asking for $40,000; here’s how you can help:

Become a Member: join for as little as $5 monthly.
Contribute Directly: Give to our year-end giving campaign.
Spread the Word: Encourage your neighbors to subscribe to The Gazette for free.

For those of you who cannot contribute, I feel you and your readership means the world to me. Please know I am committed to keeping The Gazette free forever.

There it is, an ask for $40,000.

Thank you for everything,
Justin Pardee

Hire Riverside's City Hall Reporter

2024 Year-End Campaign