Wednesday, Sept. 16: 15 years of Pittsburgh’s Public Source, by the numbers
We started in 2011 as a tiny publication that operated out of Pittsburgh Filmmakers’ Oakland office. Over the past 15 years, we’ve grown into an award-winning independent, nonprofit newsroom trusted by readers across the Pittsburgh region and recognized both locally and nationally for our impactful coverage.
And while our story is about much more than numbers, the numbers help to illustrate just how far we’ve come. For instance…
THEN: We started with just two full-time staff members in 2011.
NOW: We now have a staff of 16 full-time employees, plus several interns each semester.
THEN: 27 people donated to Public Source in 2015, the year we became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and began accepting gifts.
NOW: We have 1,500+ current Public Source members — donors who have given at least once in the past 12 months.
Here’s some other numbers worth noting:
- 4,700+ stories published.
- Over 360 community engagement activities by Public Source team members since we began tracking in 2024.
- 170+ combined years of professional experience across our full-time staff.
- 121 interns trained by Public Source, helping prepare the next generation of journalists.
- 5 neighborhood zines published since last year, with more to come.
Help us keep growing. Your gift today will help Public Source continue covering the stories that matter to our region, reaching more readers and finding new ways to engage with our community.
We’re celebrating 15 years by raising $15,000 in 15 days. Will you help us reach our goal with a gift today?
Tuesday, Sept. 15: Supporting democracy in our region for 15 years
Pittsburgh’s Public Source is turning 15! To celebrate, we’re launching a campaign today to raise $15,000 for our nonprofit newsroom — in just 15 days.
We’re kicking it off on the International Day of Democracy, a day established by the United Nations to reflect on the state of democracy around the world and the role all of us play in strengthening it.
Since 2011, Public Source has supported a healthy democracy in Southwestern Pennsylvania by giving people the information they need to participate in civic life. Our journalism helps residents vote, engage in public meetings and advocate for their neighborhoods, while holding powerful people and institutions accountable.
Here are some of the ways we do this:
- Preparing readers for the polls with voter guides for state and local elections
- Covering the local impact of federal policies, from federal immigration crackdowns to higher education funding cuts
- Shining a light on public spending by analyzing local government payroll data — and challenging institutions when they withhold information that should be available under state law
When you support Public Source, you help make this reporting possible and ensure that it remains free and available to all — because democracy works best when everyone has the information they need to participate.
Make a gift today to help us reach our $15,000 anniversary goal and keep our vital public service going for the next 15 years.
