March 01, 2004
We Interrupt This Program For A Pledge Break
As readers here know already, we are soliciting input regarding our research into grant possibilities as a way to provide consistent and reliable funding for PORTLAND COMMUNIQUE.
While such funding remains our goal, we are taking some sage advice and also making a direct appeal for support from our readers.
Since we began this site in December 2002, we have provided -- if converted into book form -- over 1,000 pages of coverage on matters ranging from City politics, to architecture and design, to economic development, to livability, and beyond. During this time, we've been able to stay afloat through the use of what, for the sake of purposes here, we'll describe as the money we didn't use to finish college many years ago, combined with a short term of part-time, flexible-hour work at a local bookstore.
We're no longer working at said bookstore, and as for the former source of funds... well, that's about to come to a close.
While we have no particular argument with the normal workaday world, our ultimate goal is to avoid returning to it -- not for reasons of sloth, but in order to keep our schedule free to continue to engage in more and more original reporting from around town in addition to the more standard weblog fare of commenting on what's appearing elsewhere in the news.
Larger, national weblogs have a fair shot at finding consistent and stable funding through reader contributions and advertising sales. On the scale at which PORTLAND COMMUNIQUE operates, this is not feasible.
So, while we search for possible grants, or similar sources, to provide that stable and consistent funding, we this month are turning to our readers in the interim.
If you find our ongoing experiment in hobbyist reporting and amateur journalism a useful, interesting, and worthwhile addition to Portland's media sphere, please consider contributing to our pledge drive through the Amazon or Paypal links at the top of every page.
We are greatful for all the support -- both financial and in terms of sheer readership -- that we have received from our readers for our work here since December 21, 2002. And we hope soon to find and secure the resources necessary to continue as we have, and to do even more in the months and years to come.
Comments (6)
steve on 01 Mar 2004
b!x - I'm in. Which pay service takes less of a cut out of the total, amazon or paypal?
The One True b!X on 01 Mar 2004
Oh, good question. Let's see. Here's Amazon:
The Amazon Honor System charges minimal transaction fees. The fee schedule is very simple. The person making a payment is not charged any fees at all. The person receiving a payment is assessed 5% of the total payment per transaction plus $.19. The Honor System is designed to be self-service for your convenience. That way, our limited customer service costs allow us to keep your transaction fees low.
While PayPal charges 2.9% plus $.30 (were I some sort of high-traffic merchant, that would go to 2.2% plus $.30, but that's not the case here).
brett on 01 Mar 2004
Word. Keep it up.
no one in particular on 01 Mar 2004
For those who don't want to do the math themselves:
If you are giving $5.23 or less, you should give money via Amazon Honor System.
If you are giving $5.24 or more, you should give money via PayPal.
The One True b!X on 01 Mar 2004
Hah. Those not doing the math themselves would include me. Thanks for spelling it out.
Noah on 07 Apr 2004
How did the pledge month go? Did you meet your goal (if you had any)?