Help Keep Starting Line Sustainable – Donate!

Do you enjoy Starting Line? Of course you do! So help us keep this site sustainable by donating to us to help cover costs and keep us running.

As you can tell, Starting Line has been a labor of love for me. No other job I’ve worked on has been as fun or has made me as happy as running this site does. And we’ve been successful. After just six months, Starting Line is now the most-read political blog/independent site in Iowa (according to metrics I can see). We are followed by all the state and national journalists. Stories first posted here have spread to considerably larger state, national and international outlets. It’s not just providing interesting news and analysis to read – it’s having a real impact on the state political conversation.

But to keep this all going, I need some help.

I have a decent amount of monthly revenue right now, but it’s not quite where it needs to be yet to make this a sustainable long-term project for me (I want to go through at least the Iowa Caucus, but preferably into 2016 and beyond). At some point soon I’ll need to decide if continuing it is doable – I don’t need a lot, but Baby Starting Line’s arrival in November will force some family finance choices. And aside from that, I could also use some more funds to purchase equipment, pay gas mileage, cover advertising and hopefully hire a part-time writer at some point.

Now, I don’t mean to say this to worry folks that Starting Line will go away anytime soon – in fact, I’m very confident I can hit my revenue goals with support from donors. But I do need some support from donors and your contribution.

If you’re a loyal reader who checks Starting Line a couple times a week, but may not have a lot of money at your disposal, please consider doing the $10/month option. That’s comparable to what people pay for Des Moines Register access and other monthly media subscriptions (we’ll never pay-wall our stuff, but it won’t be free if it doesn’t exist!).

If you’re a good friend of mine, someone I’ve helped elect or worked with, a journalist who enjoys the Iowa insight, or – most importantly – are an Iowa activist who realizes the messaging potential we hold, consider one of the higher monthly amounts (you can email me for more Starting Line metrics if you’re considering a big donation).

Click here for our secure monthly donation page

And obviously we appreciate any type of donation. Monthly ones are the best because it helps with budgeting and keeps things predictable. But we’d also be happy with your one-time donation as well:

Click here for our secure one-time donation page

Thank you for all your support! I appreciate it more than you know!

by Pat Rynard
Posted 7/27/15