MinnPost

Other Support: Grant, Pro-bono services

Long-term plan is to cover costs from revenue strategies and only seek grants for new project ideas and innovation.

Administrative Staff: 6 paid, 0 volunteer

In addition to two non-compensated co-founders, MinnPost employs 4 full-time equivalent administrators that cover advertising sales, accounting, office management and I.T.

Editorial Staff: 6 paid, 0 volunteer, 17 freelance

Three full-time equivalent editors, three full-time equivalent staff writers and 5 full-time equivalent contract writers along with more than a dozen freelancers who contribute on a per-article basis.

Competitive Environment: Very Competitive

Two major newspapers, a strong public broadcast organization and independent publishers that have all effectively moved to the online market.

Partnerships: Content, Informal

MinnPost has a variety of content partnerships, like one with public television. It also uses a national advertising network though it mostly sells local advertising.

Monthly Visitors: 200,000

Focus is less on unique monthly visitors but on converting the site’s more than 40,000 return visitors into donating members.

Budget: $1,400,000

MinnPost’s budget was high at launch before it settled down through cuts in its freelance budget and an increase in editorial staff.

Other Support: Grant, Major donor

Had one-time startup donations from five individuals and a major grant.

Editorial Staff: 0 paid, 0 volunteer, 0 freelance

Freelance budget was high in 2007, but executives found that staff and contract work is more efficient.