Why memberships?

For 30 years, the Colorado Springs Indy has been a free publication available at hundreds of locations in southern Colorado and online at csindy.com.

But times have changed.

Revenue streams have shifted. The cost of producing tens of thousands of papers for physical distribution has gone up and we need a stable base of income from the community to stay alive and provide a much-needed voice in our community.

Many alternative newspapers have become nonprofit in recent years to guarantee their existence without the risk of future owners redirecting the paper’s editorial and journalistic goals. In November 2022, the Indy became a nonprofit when founder John Weiss donated the gift of local news to the community as Citizen-Powered Media in both name and intent.

So how do we ensure the independence and survival of the Indy?

Memberships.

Like other nonprofit publications, we’re turning to a model where members can support the Colorado Springs Indy and its mission directly while enjoying other cool benefits along the way.

But what are the benefits of membership?

Supporting local, independent journalism

This is the huge warm and fuzzy one.

While we will continue to rely on local advertisers, grants and other sources of revenue, membership allows for a far more stable and persistent financial foundation that lets us pursue our mission.

We aren’t owned by billionaires or a multi-national media conglomerate. Our journalists go out into these streets and communities to tell stories that matter to you. It’s through our journalism and events that we can support our mission of delivering the truth, building community and engaging citizens. Our mission statement lays it out pretty clearly: Journalism exists to tell the truth and to use that truth to develop richer, stronger and more just communities. As members of the region we cover, we shine a light on issues, find solutions to problems and celebrate successes. Through robust debate, we lift diverse views and voices, giving more balance to the decision-making processes that affect our city. We believe that through collaboration and engagement, we create a more innovative and informed community that values diversity, protects freedom, and provides equitable opportunities.

In an article about the expanding news desert and importance of local news sources, the Hussman School of Journalism and Media explains:

A 2011 report by the Federal Communications Commission found that local newspapers are the best medium to provide the sort of public service journalism that shines a light on the major issues confronting communities and gives residents the information they need to solve their problems. But, in many communities today, there is simply not enough digital or print revenue to pay for the public service journalism that local newspapers have historically provided. Therefore, the fate of communities and the vitality of local news – whether delivered over the internet, the airwaves or in print – are intrinsically linked.

No paywalls

Paywalls suck. At the Indy, we don’t hide news or editorials or any content behind a dollar sign. Your membership allows for our work to remain free for supporters and the community at large. What we type, snap, design, source and more is what you get to read, see and experience.

We can grow

An individual membership might not seem like much, but it adds up very quickly. If we added 10 more members each day for 19 days, we could add an extra staff member at an average wage in Colorado of $45,000 per year. Likewise, if we added 20 more members each day for 10 days, we could accomplish the same thing. Obviously, it’s a little more complicated than that, but to what extent and how quickly we can build our Indy team will depend largely on how many members we have.

The extra bennies

And then there’s the nitty-gritty stuff you’ll also get:

Early access to the news – Members get a digital edition of the Indy the day before the paper hits the streets.

Members-only events

Quarterly membership newsletter

Discounts on Indy ticketed events

Optional mailed issues of the Indy.

Annual recognition in print and online for your support (you may choose to not be named publicly, if you so wish)

How do we measure success?

Memberships not only allow the Indy to exist but allow us to grow and tell stories in new ways. As such, our membership status consists of three bands: Stabilize, Sustain and Grow.

Stabilize

At this base level, we’re building enough members to form a firm foundation of revenue to cover our bills. This is a stage where we’re financially at our most precarious and unable to plan beyond our immediate needs. While we are positioned at the Sustain level, we are focused on day-to-day operations and not too much beyond that.

Sustain

At 2,500 members, we can transition to build the publication back to where it used to be, adding features and stories and shows that provide a more comprehensive view of our community. While we can’t commit to adding any specific offerings, the Sustain level allows us to run the Indy with far more flexibility. Because we have become stabilized, our work now needs to be sustained so that we are best positioned to move to the final level…

Grow

This is the top, where we can formulate and tackle the pie-in-the-sky ideas. As membership grows, the Indy can work on subjects and features while providing coverage we weren’t previously able to cover. We can augment our multimedia capabilities to tell stories in new ways that fit how people consume news and media in the 2020s. The Grow phase is our goal and part of our purpose. Our community, our state and our world grow. We need to grow with it.