ON donations matched 2:1

The Owen News is excited to announce its participation in NewsMatch 2025.

NewsMatch is a collective, matching campaign through November and December for member publications of The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), of which The Owen News is part of. NewsMatch provides a 1:1 match for any donations or memberships made to The Owen News. It also provides certain goal-based bonuses.

NewsMatch will match new or increased monthly pledges at the amount for the full year. For example, a new recurring donation set up at $10 per month would be matched at $120 for the entire year.

Additionally, The Owen County Community Foundation (OCCF) is providing a local match of up to $20,000, creating a 2:1 match. This means that every dollar donated to support local, independent journalism will be tripled, helping us to fulfill our mission to be Owen County's leading source of reliable and unbiased local news in order to foster an informed and engaged community.

In addition to one-time donations, there are several ways to support The Owen News throughout November and December.

Fundraising Event at Tivoli

The Owen News will host a fundraiser screening of the original "Superman: The Movie" (1978) at 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 15 at the Historic Tivoli Theatre, 24 N. Washington St., Spencer.

The event will feature remarks from The Owen News board members and staff highlighting our upcoming projects. It will also include appetizers, adult beverages and a silent auction.

Tickets will cost $30 and will be made available online through theowennews.org and on our Facebook page. There will also be the ability to purchase reserved seating for your group at an additional cost.

Businesses wishing to donate as part of the silent auction should email info@theowennews.org. Donations received by Nov. 28 will be listed in the December issue of The Owen News.

Proceeds from the event and the silent auction, if paid by check or online will qualify for the match through NewsMatch.

Renew or Sign up for a Membership

The Owen News will continue offering mailed copies of the paper to our members, making now the ideal time to renew your own membership or give the gift of news this holiday season.

As part of Newsmatch, the donation portion of the individual sponsorship or membership tier will both count toward the fundraising goal and will be considered tax deductible.

The membership tiers and benefits are as follows:

Friends of the Owen News ($5 per month/ $60 per year): Benefits include: mailed print edition of The Owen News, access to members-only merchandise that will have an exclusive annual design, a monthly e-newsletter with behind-the-scenes insights, and recognition on The Owen News website.

Headline Supporter ($15 per month/ $180 per year): Benefits include: all Friends of The Owen News benefits and an The Owen News tote bag.

Columnist Champion ($25 per month/ $300 per year): Benefits include: all Headline Supporter benefits, an The Owen News mug, your name listed in the printed edition of The Owen News, and a special invite to an exclusive quarterly virtual Q&A session with the editorial team.

Editor's Circle ($50 per month/ $600 per year): Benefits include: all Columnist Champion benefits, an Owen News travel mug, and special recognition in the annual member guide and report.

Publisher's Partner ($100+ per month/ $1,200+ per year): Benefits include: all Editor's Circle benefits, an Owen News t-shirt, and a ¼ page ad for individual use (subject to The Owen News' ad policy).

Those interested in making a donation or becoming a member can do so through OCCF or by contacting The Owen News at info@theowennews.org.

Individuals interested in volunteering with The Owen News should email volunteers@theowennews.org. Volunteers are needed in several areas including as trained correspondents, fundraising and staffing festival booths to name a few.

"The non-profit news model allows us, first and foremost, to be a community partner in our community. But most importantly, by being a non-profit, The Owen News will forever be owned by our community," Executive Editor Nicole DeCriscio said. "At the end of the day, the success of The Owen News thus far is a testament to the strength of our community, and we're relying on community support to capitalize on this important fund-matching opportunity."