ADN Sunshine Week: Fund a Reporter
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Tiny News CollectiveGarfield County is 62% public land. Help Aspen Daily News fund reporting readers told us we need.
$12,945
raised by 56 people
$25,000 goal
New update
Update: You brought the sunshine; now let’s turn up the heat
In less than 48 hours, you helped us unlock our full $1,500 match from Aloha Mountain Cyclery.
Your generosity has built real momentum this Sunshine Week.
Huge thanks to Aloha for stepping up in support of public lands reporting, and to everyone who jumped in early to make it happen. You didn’t just meet the moment — you moved it.
And now… we’ve got another one.
An anonymous donor has put forward a new $5,000 Sunshine Week match to keep this going.
So if you’ve been waiting for the right moment — this is it.
You give → it doubles → more reporting happens.
And not just any reporting... the kind that tracks decisions about public lands, water and energy before they shape life across the valley.
Let’s keep it going. THANK YOU!
Shining a Light on Decisions That Shape the West
Each spring during Sunshine Week, we’re reminded of a simple truth: when government operates in the open, communities are stronger.
When decisions about land, water, energy and development are made transparently, people can participate, ask questions and hold leaders accountable. When they’re not, it becomes much harder to understand who benefits — and who gets left behind.
That’s why local journalism matters.
Today, Aspen Daily News asking for your help to bring deeper reporting to the Roaring Fork Valley and Garfield County.
A New, dedicated beat reporter
With support from Report for America, Aspen Daily News is launching a new reporting position dedicated to covering:
Public lands
The environment
Energy and natural resources
Policy decisions impacting communities across Garfield County
This region sits at the intersection of some of the most important questions facing the American West. From water and wildlife to recreation, development and energy policy, the choices made today will shape the future of our communities.
Our reporter will follow these stories wherever they lead — from riverbanks and grazing pastures to county commission meetings and state policy debates.
They will:
Ask difficult questions when necessary
Translate complex policy into clear, usable information
Center the voices of the people most affected by these decisions
Help Close the Gap
Report for America is already investing in this reporting position: $27,500 in Year 1 alone, with a total three-year commitment.
Your support will help close the remaining funding gap and ensure Garfield County has a dedicated journalist covering the environmental issues shaping its future.
At its heart, Sunshine Week is about protecting the public’s right to know.
With your help, that principle won’t just be an idea — it will be a daily practice in the Roaring Fork Valley.
Make a gift today to support strong local journalism. Sunshine Week comes once a year, but the reporting it supports lasts all year.