2020 Annual Report
The mission of the Vermont Journalism Trust is to produce rigorous journalism that explains complex issues, promotes public accountability and fosters democratic and civic engagement.
2020 Impact Highlights
Kiah Morris
Covid-19 Coverage
When the pandemic hit Vermont, VTDigger’s newsroom worked around the clock to develop vital tools to help readers keep up with the rapidly changing situation. Our readership quadrupled in spring of 2020 as Vermonters sought accurate information to guide them during this unprecedented crisis.
Early on in Vermont’s Covid-19 outbreak, VTDigger pressured the state to release county by county and hospitalization data. In addition, we urged the Scott administration to hold more public briefings. The governor’s office went from a weekly presser to three times a week.
VTDigger investigated a University of Vermont basketball game in March 2020 that was a major Covid-19 spreading event resulting in at least 20 confirmed cases, 34 suspected cases and 3 deaths.
The investigation required surveys, rigorous fact checking and interviews with game attendees. Each time we published an update to the story, we’d reach more people who had attended the game and they would share more information. The state health commissioner initially said this basketball game wasn’t a spreading event, then later admitted it was.
VTDigger has received national recognition from the NYTimes, LION Publishers, NENPA and in the National Congressional Record for its role in publishing hundreds of factual reports that supported Vermont’s response to Covid-19.
Slate Ridge
VT All Payer Health Care System
CityPlace Development
Abuse at Kurn Hattin School for Children
Police Accountability
2020 Election Coverage
Our 2020 Voter Guide was used by roughly 164,000 people– more than three times the number that used the guide in 2018. The guide included bios for more than 400 House, Senate and statewide candidates in the primary and general races, a searchable campaign finance database, and a roll call vote database to help Vermonters educate themselves on how candidates voted in the past on important issues. VTDigger’s newsroom reported closely on Vermont’s primary and general elections despite the limitations of Covid-19. In addition to publishing more than 240 stories on the November election cycle, we also produced:
- A 24/7 liveblog with up-to-the-minute election updates
- Live debates with major party candidates for Governor and Lieutenant Governor
- A how-to-vote guide and video focusing on how to make sure your vote is counted via mail-in ballots which were new to many voters this year
I value and trust VTDigger’s constant care and responsiveness to all that is happening in the state.”
Reader
Awards and Recognition in 2020
The New York Times
Commended for building strong social trust which has helped Vermont meet the unprecedented challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic with relative success. Read more
The New England Newspaper and Press Association
Eleven top honors in the annual New England Better Newspaper Competition, including first place for General Excellence, Digital Strategy Excellence, Local Election Coverage and Multimedia Coverage for News Services and Online News Sites. Read more
The Boston Globe
Mark Shanahan wrote a feature about VTDigger as a model news organization for the front page of the Boston Globe. Read more
LION Publishers
Four national journalism awards, including Best Coronavirus Coverage. Read more
United States Congressional Record
Vermont State Senator Patrick Leahy honored VTDigger in the nation’s Congressional Record for our outstanding Covid coverage. Read more
Vermont was not as hard-hit by COVID-19 as other New England states, and VT Digger could make a case that its journalism and reader-centric and solutions-oriented engagement work on the pandemic was part of the reason residents and public officials were better prepared.
NENPA judge’s comments on VTDigger’s second place award for Best Coverage of Coronavirus, New England Better Newspaper Competition
Community and Events
Typically, VTDigger seeks to build and foster community connections around issues of importance by hosting live public events. During Covid-19, large in-person gatherings were out of the question, so we pivoted to virtual events aimed at delivering lifesaving information and civic education during a critical election year.
Covid FAQ Live Event Series
In response to the immense volume of reader questions about ever-changing Covid-19 concerns, VTDigger launched Covid FAQ Live. The FAQ Live event series was a space for community members to get answers to their most pressing questions directly from experts. Readers submitted their questions using an online form or by phone. VTDigger hosted FAQ Live events on topics including Covid holiday planning, anticipating a Covid vaccine, food insecurity, ski season during the pandemic and the vaccine rollout.
Candidate Debates
VTDigger hosted two statewide debates for the top candidates running for Vermont’s highest elected offices: Governor and Lt. Governor. While the audience joined virtually, candidates were able to debate policy in-person in a socially distanced setting. In a campaign year like no other, the VTDigger debates were the first time some of these candidates met in person.
Member Drives
VTDigger members accomplished incredible acts of service for their communities as well as supporting our vital local reporting during Covid-19. Members sent 3,000 Vermont Glove cloth masks to twelve local hospitals in grave need as part of the Spring Member Drive in April, 2020. Hospitals used the masks to distribute to patients at a time when supplies were incredibly scarce.
At the end of the year, as federal funding for food aid programs charged toward a cliff and 1 in 4 Vermonters was experiencing food insecurity, VTDigger members sent 40,000 meals to the Vermont Foodbank.
Financials
VTDigger 2020 Revenue
Grants | $466,534
Underwriting | $369,456
Individual Contributions | $1,461,863
News Revenue | $135,311
Other | $5,790
Total Revenue | $2,438,954
VTDigger 2020 Expenses
Program | $1,558,328
General & Administrative | $142,584
Fundraising | $478,362
Total Expenses | $2,179,274
Thank you!
2020 Donor List | 2020 Underwriters
Achieving our mission depends upon the generosity of donors, and we’re incredibly grateful for the thousands of individuals, foundations and businesses who support our work.
We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and all sources of revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.
We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.
We are committed to transparency in every aspect of funding our organization. Each year, we publish a full list of donors and supporters, with all who gave a total of $5,000 or more in a given year separately listed. We accept anonymous donations for general support only.