You bet it is! High Country News is a 501(c)(3) charity.
Our Federal Tax ID number is: 23-7015336.

You can peruse our most recent annual report for details and stories about our impact. Last year, 77% of our revenue came from readers (19.4% in subscription revenue) and donors (57.6% from individual donations). We also receive grants that make up about 20% of our revenue. Advertising income has been reduced over the years, to only 2% last year. *UPDATE NUMBERS

And we thank you! Subscription revenue helps us keep the lights on and our reporters in the field. But the subscription price alone does not cover the cost of operations. We rely on subscribers who are able to give above and beyond the price of the magazine – anywhere from a one-time donation of $5 to $100 a month. Every little bit adds up and helps us keep our journalism independent and free of corporate control. That’s a refreshing reality in a world where journalism organizations have to fight tooth and nail to stay alive.

Reader contributions support everything from keeping the lights on and the computers working, to sending our journalists on reporting trips, to artfully laying out the magazine for print, to paying for the postage for your issues. We wouldn’t be able to produce the magazine without our reader community.

For more details on what donor contributions fund, peruse our annual report.

Every print issue, we thank our generous donors. Everyone who donates $50 or more will have their name listed in the pages. (We also acknowledge donations made in memory of, or in honor of, another person or group, or you may keep your gift anonymous if you prefer.) The elapsed time between when a donation is made and when it is recognized in the magazine can be between six weeks and six months.

The Sustainers’ Club is our monthly giving membership program. Over 1,000 members (and counting) contribute to the Annual Fund each month! There are lots of GREAT reasons to join the Club:

• Your subscription to HCN will be automatically renewed at no charge for your monthly pledge of $15 or more. You can also designate a gift subscription for your monthly pledge of $25 or more!
• Donating is easy, convenient, secure and tax-deductible.
• Monthly gifts provide a regular and reliable source of income for HCN and are put to work faster.
• Your participation saves on postage and paper resources.
• You’ll receive our special Friends of High Country Newsletter from Publisher Greg Hanscom with behind-the-scenes information.
• You’ll join a special circle of donors and receive exclusive invitations to donor-only events.
• We’ll recognize your membership annually in the pages of High Country News (unless you wish to remain anonymous).

Join the Sustainers’ Club today!

Sure thing. You can contact us at fundraising@hcn.org or 800-905-1155 to initiate changes right away.

The Intern & Fellowship Fund (now known as the Fellow Fund) supports our renowned Internship program. Every six months, we hire new interns and fellows to work alongside our veteran journalists and editors. The Fund pays for their stipends, housing, training and reporting trips.

HCNU is a special, donor-funded classroom subscription program that is free for students and their instructors. For more information about that, or to sign up, go to: hcn.org/eduWe have other special programs that we raise funds for, such as our Legislator Subscription Program, that sends copies of HCN to all of Congress and select state legislators. If you are interested in supporting a particular fund – beyond general support – please connect with our fundraising team: fundraising@hcn.org.

We do indeed. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we receive matching donations periodically. Let us know if we need to fill out any paperwork or electronic forms.

The Research Fund is the historic name for our annual fundraising. Many people have heard the story of our legendary founder, Tom Bell. He ran the paper out of his home  in Lander, Wyoming, using his family’s savings and relying on passionate contributors who, like him, were more interested in getting the word out than in making a profit. However, idealism alone couldn’t pay the bills, so in 1973, Tom wrote in what he thought would be the final edition of the newspaper, “We have done our best. It was not good enough.” Over the next few weeks, envelopes came pouring in through the mail, filled with cash, checks and encouraging words. These readers had come to rely on the information they read in the pages of HCN and refused to let it die. The “Research Fund” was the name given to our reader-supported engine that has kept High Country News running for decades. However, since newcomers to HCN haven’t been clear about the “research” part of this name, we have decided to remove it from our fundraising promotion.

Would you like to see HCN’s legacy impact future generations? Consider an endowment gift. Please contact our office for more information, and we’ll make it as easy for you as possible: fundraising@hcn.org

Absolutely! We have a comprehensive planned giving guide that answers specific questions about annuities, stocks and much more. Peruse this easy-to-read booklet, speak to your financial advisor, and email us with your questions at fundraising@hcn.org.