Dear friends,
A little more than one month ago I challenged you to help us raise $1,809 in personal donations by the end December. That would put donations $1 above what you gave the 501(c)(3) nonprofit IowaWatch the last month of 2015. We could not have imagined then what was to happen in the following 30 days.
First, you are responding in a big way, with $3,900 in donations as of noon, Friday, Dec. 30. You helped us surpass our 2016 personal donations goal and we are grateful.
Second, Knight Foundation announced in December that IowaWatch is one of 57 news organizations nationwide that is part of a Knight News Match fund drive. In that drive the foundation is matching every dollar you donate from Dec. 19 through Jan. 19, up to $1,000 for an individual and $25,000 for IowaWatch overall.
As of noon, Dec. 30, you had donated $2,700 since Knight Foundation’s matching grant fund drive started. That drive, and our need for your support, continues. We already have received commitments for donations in early January that will add to this total.
To all of you who have donated, please accept my sincere thanks for supporting IowaWatch’s efforts to produce in-depth investigative and community affairs reporting in collaboration with 101 media outlets in 2016 and to train college student journalists to do this kind of work at a high, ethical level. Coming up in 2017, we plan to work with high school student journalists, as well.
If you were tapped to the max donating to other organizations at the end of 2016 and could not get to us we understand. A lot of worthy causes exist. However, if you want to start giving tax-deductible donations early in the new year and we receive your gift before Jan. 19 Knight Foundation will double your contribution so please consider doing that.
Have a Happy New Year everyone.
Lyle Muller, IowaWatch Executive Director-Editor
