Announcing Our First Fundraising Drive

Photo by SounderBruce on Flickr

For over 8 years, Seattle Transit Blog has been an independent, award-winning resource for helping tens of thousands of people in our region understand and take action on local transportation issues.

In addition to providing a top-notch community for enthusiasts, we've helped push real policy changes around the region, including ST2, expanding ORCA access, transit-oriented re-zoning, and operational improvements to bus service. Now it's time to take our work to the next level. Today we're announcing a fundraising drive to hire a paid part-time reporter to augment our all-volunteer staff, and we need your help.

Between now and the end of 2016, our region will face a series of critical choices - how to expand bus service, where to build light rail, and what role the city should play in funding capital and operations. There will be public votes on Move Seattle Forward, a housing levy and, as of this week, Sound Transit expansion.

We want to give our readers a view into the coming months and years like only STB can. We want to help you make informed decisions about where to live, what to ride, and how to participate in the public debate. You'll be on the front lines with us as we look at infrastructure projects, talk to elected officials, weigh the pros and cons of new transit service, and think about how our growing region should move over the next 20 years.

Our reporter will:

• Cover public hearings and events that we all can't get to, keeping you up to date with what's happening and how to take action.
• Provide in-depth coverage of the maze of new transit spending coming up, from Move Seattle to Sound Transit 3 to expanded Seattle bus service.
• Interview top officials to get more of your questions and ideas in front of key decision makers
• Cover the transformational changes coming to the suburbs along with light rail, from Federal Way to Lynnwood to Bellevue

Our current volunteer staff isn't going away. This new reporter will amp up our current efforts. It's STB, but more.

Please consider giving to our campaign using the donate button below. All donors will receive a monthly insider newsletter, letting you know what we're working on and what's coming in the future.

It's an exciting time to be thinking and talking about Seattle's transit future, and we hope you'll support us for the ride.

Answers to some questions you might have"

Are donations tax-deductible?
No, as a 501(c)4 we are not permitted to offer a tax deduction. Being a 501(c)4 permits us to endorse candidates for office. Please let us know if this is a barrier to your contributing. We'd love to continue to influence the political process, but we want to make sure we're serving our readers first and foremost.

Will you keep hitting us up for money in the future?
It depends on how this goes! We're looking for sustainable ways to fund quality journalism on local transit. Reader contributions are one avenue of many. Contact us if you have other ideas.

What if I don't want to donate online?
We're happy to take a check. Contact us and we'll get you a mailing address.