All of us working to create The Hardwick Gazette are happy to report that we’ve had a successful first year, sometimes in spite of ourselves.
We feel it’s important to share the details of what’s happening behind the scenes at The Gazette in our new role as a community-owned nonprofit, so here is a summary of the numbers.
In 12 months we’ve published 51 regular issues and a special election issue. Those issues contained roughly 900 news items; over 300 community events and business briefs; 240 entertainment notices and reviews; 400 letters to the editor, editorials and other opinion pieces; 350 columns and 55 cartoons.
Those same 2,400 items that appeared in the pdf edition have been posted to our website.
It cost us $119,000 to bring The Gazette to you against a budget of $120,000.
We brought in $128,000 to do it, which gives us a nice start on 2025’s expenses.
Advertising brought in $32,000, less than we’d hoped for, but a revenue source we’ve been glad to have.
Miscellaneous income, including our print shop, offering design and custom printing of all manner of printed output, from business cards to publications, brought in $9,000.
Three hundred and seventy five people donated a total of $87,000. Four donations were of $5,000 and over, 22 were from $500 to $4,999 and the rest under $500.
We had our challenges in the second half of the year, but you readers gave us an overwhelming show of support with your contributions from Giving Tuesday through the end of the year.
As one of our consultants said to us, “Nonprofit doesn’t mean no profit.”
Thanks to all of you we’ve come out a little bit ahead, which goes back in to serving the community.
Thank you.
Paul Fixx, editor
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
