Public Support.3 ProPublica Continued

Posted on 23. Oct, 2008 by Eliot Caroom in Uncategorized

Tofel says “one year grants or three year grants are not a way to sustain anything.  If you were going to sustain this thing one philanthropy, you would need a very broad base.”

Currently ProPublica is funded on rolling 3-year grants from the Sandler Foundation.

What is their direction?

Tasks:  1.  Proving they can recruit and retain quality staff.  So far, they’re doing well.

2.  Prove they can do great stories.

3.  Prove they can distribute the stories–“First returns are decent…”

4.  Come up with a sustainable model of revenue.

“Our job is to set out to prove 1, 2, and 3,”  Tofel says. He aims to do that by 2010: “If we have rung all three of those bells (hopefully) the fourth task will not be the hardest.”