Support The Mission of The Baltimore Banner

For those looking to support the mission of The Baltimore Banner, we are powered by our community of readers and donors as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. We rely on the generous support of individuals and institutions in Baltimore, Maryland, and beyond to become one of the region’s largest and most diverse newsrooms.

If you decide to invest in our independent, local journalism, your gift will be used as follows:

Your contributions directly support the work of the newsroom.
Unrestricted gifts enhance our coverage and enable important innovations in presenting the news.
Donors can also support broad editorial strands set forth by our editors. As examples, foundations and corporations can support more robust investigative reporting on issues we cover, underwrite digital access for populations that cannot afford subscriptions and are most in need of information, or support digital news delivery innovations.

Your gifts translate into real impact and better outcomes for the communities we cover. Read more about The Banner's impact here.

The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism is the 501(c)3 nonprofit umbrella and publisher of The Baltimore Banner. The Institute’s tax identification number is 86-1715499.

For questions about supporting The Baltimore Banner, please contact giving@thebaltimorebanner.org. You can also read more in our Gift Acceptance Policy. You can access our Guidestar profile here.

Founding Members: Leading the Charge for Quality Local Journalism

Dedicated individuals and organizations from our community who are supporting the mission and vision of The Baltimore Banner can become Founding Members by contributing a minimum of $2,500 annually to help us realize the mission.

Founding Members enjoy recognition on our website as those critical “first supporters” of The Banner. They also receive special early invitations to exclusive in-person and virtual events featuring our editors and reporters, along with special limited-run Baltimore Banner items designed exclusively for Founders. Become a Founding Member today! Help us to envision a new and revitalized model for delivering local news for Baltimore and its community members.

Thanking Our Supporters

Below we are proud to acknowledge and thank the following individuals and institutions that are supporting The Baltimore Banner!

This list will be updated regularly. We endeavor to ensure its accuracy; however if you notice errors or omissions, please email us at: giving@thebaltimorebanner.org

Institutional Supporters

$500,000+

Bunting Family Foundation
Goldseker Foundation*

$250,000+

Ford Foundation
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation

$100,000+

Bainum Family Foundation
Google News Initiative
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation
Patricia and Mark Joseph, The Shelter Foundation*

$50,000+

The Annie E. Casey Foundation*

The Richman Foundation*

$25,000+

Sherman Family Foundation

$10,000+

Wildbasil Fund (via Vanguard Charitable)

Individual Supporters

$100,000+ Founding Members

Roberta Bainum, through the Greater Washington Community Foundation
Rheda Becker and Robert E. Meyerhoff

$10,000+ Founding Members—Headline Level

Barbara Shapiro, The Barbara and Sig Shapiro Philanthropic Fund

$5,000+ Founding Members—Byline Level

Anonymous
Susan Anthony
Nancy Dorman and Stan Mazaroff
Robyne Lyles and Mark Thistle, FreedomCar
Maria and Rick Martinez
Corry Prohens
Vicky and Brett Rogers
Michael Rosenbaum and Amy Kiesel
Lynn Venetoulis

$2,500+ Founding Members—Beat Level

Anonymous
Bruce and Polly Behrens
Gary Ditto, Who... a staffing company
Kelly Ennis, The Verve Partnership
Connie and Imtiaz Patel
Prugh Family Fund
Southway Builders Charitable Trust, Inc.
Priscilla and Jim Walters
Grant Whitmore

$1,000+

Allison Buchalter
Michael and Kristine Booth-Smets
J.P. Grant
Nancy S. Grasmick
Sandra Hess
Erik Hummel
Pat Lasher and Richard Jacobs
Kenneth and Bonny Lewis
Amy and Bill Warren
DeWayne Wickham
Leon Vainikos

* Indicates a multi-year gift

Donate Now

Every contribution counts.
Thank you!

FAQs

Is The Baltimore Banner a nonprofit organization? If so, what is its tax identification number?

Yes, The Banner’s parent organization, The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism, was granted nonprofit status by the IRS in August 2021; our tax identification number is 86-1715499. The Baltimore Banner is our signature publication and is operated under this nonprofit umbrella.

I would like to make a gift by check, where can I send it and who should it be made out to?

Thank you! Checks can be made out to The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism or The Baltimore Banner. Our mailing address is: 621 East Pratt Street, Suite 401, Baltimore MD 21202.

What type of gifts does The Baltimore Banner accept?

At present, we accept outright gifts of cash, multi-year pledges, and appreciated securities. The Banner is also open to receiving gifts in kind, particularly as part of a broader corporate partnership.

How do I manage my recurring donation?

To access or manage your donor information, you can do so with our Donor Dashboard. Open any of the emails you have received acknowledging your donations to The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism. These are sent each time you contribute with the subject line "Donation Receipt - we appreciate your generosity!". Click on "View your donation history" in the email. You will be directed to your dashboard. Click on "Recurring Donations" to manage or cancel.

I would like to make a gift online using my credit card.

Thank you for your support! You can make a secure online gift using the form above. You can read more about how The Baltimore Banner handles your sensitive information by viewing our Terms of Services polices.

I would like to make a gift of securities, can you provide the financial institution information for me to initiative a transfer?

We would be happy to facilitate gifts of securities. Please contact our philanthropy team at giving@thebaltimorebanner.org to receive transfer instructions.

Is my subscription tax deductible?

The cost of subscriptions is not tax deductible. Donations to The Baltimore Banner are tax deductible, which is why you may have seen our tax ID number or other information related to charitable contributions on our website.

What is the relationship between The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism and The Baltimore Banner?

The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism is the 501c(3), nonprofit parent organization and publisher of The Baltimore Banner. The Banner is the first venture launched under the Institute’s leadership and is operated as a nonprofit news organization. It is possible that other media and news ventures may be initiated in the future alongside The Banner.

Why should I support The Baltimore Banner in addition to becoming a subscriber?

Thank you for being a loyal reader! Generous individuals who make gifts of all sizes understand that local journalism is the bedrock of our democracy. As an integral part of the future of The Banner, our contributing subscribers have the satisfaction of knowing they are prioritizing protecting this vital civic institution. Many donors contributing to The Banner do so to send a clear signal that the Baltimore community values independent, trustworthy news and information.

How do I look up The Baltimore Banner on Guidestar?

Our organization is listed on Guidestar as The Venetoulis Institute for Local Journalism. You can also find us by searching for The Baltimore Banner or access our profile here: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/86-1715499.

What will my gifts be used for?

All unrestricted gifts will be used to enhance our newsroom and editorial unit.

How much seed funding has been provided by the Chairman and Founder, Stewart Bainum? Why do you need philanthropic support from the public given your seed funding and subscription proceeds?

Our founder has committed publicly to contribute or raise $50 million to support The Baltimore Banner’s first four years of operations, ensuring a sound financial footing. $23 million has been provided already to The Banner for use during the first two years of operations. While that initial investment has been critical to our early growth and allowed us to become one of Maryland’s largest and most diverse newsrooms in our first year, the generous support of individuals and institutions in Baltimore, Maryland, and beyond is necessary to continue this important work. Over 4-5 years, our revenue model anticipates that approximately 15 percent of our annual operating budget will be funded by philanthropy.

Why is local news under threat? What has changed?

The local journalism landscape has changed rapidly and significantly over the last couple of decades. Since 2005, research has indicated that local journalism jobs have declined by as much as 70%, due in large part to the shift to digital advertising. As news quality declined from for-profit outlets, many subscribers turned away frensued for communities with shrinking or absent local news infrastructure: less political engagement, increasing polarization, and a lack of accountability from politicians leading to overspending and corruption. The absence of local watchdog reporting has even been linked to an increase in corporate misconduct. To counter these concerning dynamics, many news startups with innovative revenue models have begun to take off across the country. The Baltimore Banner is one of them. We are working towards a diversified revenue model that acknowledges and adjusts for the changing realities of the industry.

Support The Banner

Support The Banner

Founding Members: Leading the Charge for Quality Local Journalism

Thanking Our Supporters