The Rye Record

No, The Rye Record does not have 501(c)(3) tax status, but because it operates under a fiscal sponsorship in partnership with Report for America/The GroundTruth Project, all contributions to The Record are tax deductible. 

As a fiscal sponsor, Report For America/The GroundTruth Project provides financial oversight, ensuring that all funds raised comply with nonprofit regulations and adhere to The GroundTruth Project’s charitable purpose of serving under-covered communities by supporting the next generation of journalists to do on-the-ground reporting and to advance sustainability, innovation and equity in journalism worldwide. Gifts to fiscally sponsored organizations are subject to The GroundTruth Project’s gift acceptance policy.

Yes. Our fiscal sponsor, Report for America/The GroundTruth Project, is a 501(c)3 corporation. 

Yes!  Checks should be made out to The GroundTruth Project.

PLEASE make a note in the memo section of the check indicating it is a donation for The Rye Record.  

Please mail to:

The Rye Record
Attention: Ignite
PO Box 198
Orrick, MO 64077

Yes. The Rye Record is fiscally sponsored by The GroundTruth Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which enables us to accept tax-deductible contributions through Donor Advised Funds (DAFs).

Instructions for Your DAF Provider

When making a grant recommendation through your Donor Advised Fund, please use the following information:

Recipient Organization: The GroundTruth Project

Tax ID/EIN: 46-0908502

Legal Address: The GroundTruth Project  68 Harrison Ave, Suite 605, PMB 46837 Boston, MA 02111-1929

Where to send your check: Rye Record Lockbox; Attn: IGNITE PO Box 198 Orrick, MO 64077

Contact for Questions: Stephanie Schmidt, VP Finance, The GroundTruth Project, sschmidt@thegroundtruthproject.org or (269) 377-4390.

Important Notes

• All contributions must 1) be made payable to The GroundTruth Project and 2) must indicate that the contribution is for The Rye Record
• If your DAF provider will only send a check to The GroundTruth Project’s legal address, that is fine as long as they clearly indicate the contribution is to benefit The Rye Record
• To ensure a tax receipt is issued, please include a mailing or email address 
• Please notify us at dhessekiel@ryerecord.com when you’ve submitted your recommendation so we can properly acknowledge your support
• Donor advised grants typically process within 2–4 weeks, depending on your DAF provider

If you have any questions about making a contribution or need additional documentation, please contact Community Development Director David Hessekiel at dhessekiel@ryerecord.com.

Yes. Our policy for all donations to the Fund reads, in part, as follows: All donations to the fund are restricted to use by the newsroom at the direction of the publisher. Report for America/The GroundTruth Project does not take an administrative fee or a percentage of donations for being The Rye Record’s fiscal sponsor. The Rye Record pays Ignite, our donation platform, a small fee to process credit card donations. Donors have the option of covering that transaction fee when contributing.

Yes. While we allow individual donors, at their choosing to remain anonymous, we do disclose any corporate gifts of more than $5,000.

Traditionally newspapers like The Rye Record funded their operations through print advertising. During the last two decades, that business model has been severely disrupted. While we are strengthening our print and digital revenue streams, we need reader donations to sustainably operate the quality of news organization Rye deserves and continue to provide free access to our print and digital edition for local readers.

The Rye Record’s news judgments are made independently — not based on or influenced by donors or any revenue source. We do not give supporters the authority to assign, review or edit content. Our organization may consider donations to help underwrite the coverage of certain topics, but The Rye Record maintains editorial control over the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.

We will make public corporate, foundation and grant-making donors that contribute $5,000 or more and offer the opportunity for individual donors, at their option, to be disclosed and thanked as well. We will not accept donations from government entities, political parties or from any source who, in the judgment our publisher, presents a conflict of interest with our work or compromises our independence.