When MinnPost was founded in 2007, we had a lot of doubters. No print edition? No paywall? You ask readers for donations to make it all possible? At the time, we were among a small handful of local, startup nonprofit news outlets in the country.
Now, a little over 17 years later, the nonprofit journalism movement that we helped start has exploded to 450-and-growing orgs across the country (and Minnesota!). As part of this hopeful work to rebuild local news, we’ve demonstrated that our 501(c)(3) is much more than an IRS designation. We prioritize our community — not the desires of corporate shareholders or billionaire ownership — and provide all of our reporting at no charge, without a paywall, directly through our site and through free republication partners across Minnesota.
But we’re also not resting on our laurels or standing still. In fact, I’m thrilled to announce that in 2025, we’re embarking on a new chapter of expansion.
Spurred on by a matching challenge gift of $1 million from our founders, Joel and Laurie Kramer, we’re two-thirds of the way toward raising a major capital infusion of at least $2.2 million to increase the size and talent profile of our newsroom and build capacity to engage and reach new audiences in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.
What does that look like? By this time next year, our newsroom will be 50% bigger. But it’s not just about the size of our team. Several of these new roles will be senior staff writers that will allow MinnPost to become a destination for enterprising, entrepreneurial journalists who exemplify what we do best: taking audiences beyond the “what and when” of daily coverage to serve as trusted guides into the “how and why” of the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing the Twin Cities metro and all of Minnesota. (Of course, we’ll continue our reputation for identifying and developing promising early-career talent, as well!)
We’re also expanding our audience team to focus on building meaningful relationships with Minnesotans across the state, surfacing unique information needs, particularly for underserved communities, and finding ways for the wide and diverse range of voices and experiences that make up Minnesota to be reflected in our journalism. This work will also offer an incredible opportunity to deepen our collaborations with local outlets — many of which already utilize our free republication policy — across Minnesota.
As we make these additions in the year ahead, you’ll see new bylines and new ways you can connect with the incredible journalists who make up our team. We’ll highlight new initiatives as we launch them and innovate how you can interact with our reporting and other MinnPost audience members. If you’ll pardon my language, MinnPost is a community for people who give a damn about Minnesota’s future. We’re excited to make our journalism an even more central part of how you can understand and look to shape that future.
With all of these exciting investments in our nonprofit newsroom and mission-driven programming, there are myriad ways you can be a part of this chapter of expansion and paywall-free journalism. In fact, we’ll need you with us to pull off this ambitious growth!
Member support is the lifeblood of MinnPost. Donations of all sizes, whether one-time or recurring, will be the bedrock for this growth. We’re in the midst of our year-end drive, so your support right now in any amount is critical. Thanks in advance for your tax-deductible donation before Dec. 31!
If you’re in a position to make a major philanthropic investment at the $5,000+ level, either directly or through a fund, you can help us finish the homestretch of the matching gift on the table and join our leadership circle as a way to connect with our nonprofit newsroom. (Please feel free to contact Laura Lindsay, our advancement director, to discuss further!)
Organizations that sponsor or advertise with MinnPost get a two-fer: You get your message in front of hundreds-of-thousands of highly-engaged, highly-active Minnesotans who give a damn and you make our paywall-free journalism possible. (Brian Perry is always happy to discuss the many options available for all budget sizes.)
And there are ways to be a part of MinnPost and what we’re building that aren’t financial. Sign up for one of our many free newsletters. Follow (and share!) our work on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X/Twitter, Bluesky). Come to a MinnPost event (including our marquee people and ideas festival set again for Fall 2025!).
However you join us in this exciting next chapter of growth, we’re honored to have you with our nonprofit newsroom. It’s a perilous time for local media and our civic culture generally, but we’ve shown throughout MinnPost’s history that together we can do incredible things. I’m confident that, standing arm in arm, we’ll continue that legacy in this next chapter of growth and innovation.
Let’s go!