New Mexico In-Depth produces public policy journalism, aspiring to surface conditions and perspectives of communities most affected by public decision-makers. The organization has worked in its first three years to grow its direct reach to individual New Mexicans and has developed a special product focused on the state legislature that now raises 10 percent of the NMID annual budget.
This project would build on that foundation and leverage the success of NMID’s legislative coverage, using a mix of direct, in-person and online strategies to engage with the communities NMID covers. Key components include public policy community forums, exploration of a membership and sustainer program and expansion of its sponsorship program.
NMID’s goal is to develop direct contact with its communities, to make it easier for the widely scattered population of New Mexicans to engage with public policy issues, and to systematize a process for acquiring public support from within New Mexico. Specifically, the organization aims to increase its annual public support from $30,000 to $50,000 and increase its outreach list by 50 percent, from 4,000 to 6,000. The ultimate goal is for public support to make up 30 percent of its annual budget.
This project explores the relationship between community engagement and donor development. NMID hopes to learn how to grow a committed group of member-donors by experimenting with community engagement events, testing messages and systematically implementing a development program.