The Marblehead Independent is sustained entirely by readers and local sponsors. Support comes in two simple forms: memberships and sponsorships.
For every dollar given to the Independent, 95 cents goes directly into local journalism. The remaining five cents covers essentials like tech, insurance, compliance and Stripe fees.
There is no sales tax on newspapers, memberships or sponsorships in Massachusetts, so nothing is skimmed away by the state.
Memberships
Membership is the simplest way for residents to sustain independent local news. Each tier represents a civic commitment, an investment in coverage Marblehead can rely on.
Supporter: $10/month or $120/year
— Keeps the lights on. Covers the basics: one public meeting story a week.
Contributor: $15/month or $180/year
— Shines brighter. Funds steady civic coverage plus daily updates that connect neighbors.
Sustainer: $25/month or $300/year
— Safeguards depth. Supports enterprise reporting and impact follow-ups.
Champion: $50/month or $600/year
— Builds for the long haul. Underwrites a sustainable newsroom rooted in Marblehead. Pick a membership tier.
We've built a budget in which 95 cents of every $1 funds local reporting. Your support keeps Marblehead informed.
Sponsors
Local businesses, nonprofits and organizations can partner as sponsors. All packages include a six-month listing on the Sponsors page with your logo or business name hyperlinked to your site. Newsletter recognition scales by tier.
Neighbor: $500
For six months your logo, business name and link appear on the Sponsors page — hyperlinked in every newsletter and posted weekly on Facebook — with a welcome spotlight when you join, inclusion in the year-end “Sponsors of 2025” feature and consistent weekly scheduling that keeps recognition clear and uncluttered. Click here to become a neighbor sponsor.
Community: $750
For six months your logo, business name and link appear on the Sponsors page — hyperlinked in every newsletter and posted weekly on Facebook — with three newsletter recognitions, a welcome spotlight when you join, inclusion in the year-end “Sponsors of 2025” feature and consistent weekly scheduling that keeps recognition clear and uncluttered. Click here to become a community sponsor.
Premier: $1,000
For six months your prominent logo, business name and link appear at the top of the Sponsors page — hyperlinked in every newsletter and posted weekly on Facebook — with six newsletter recognitions, a welcome spotlight when you join, inclusion in the year-end “Sponsors of 2025” feature and consistent weekly scheduling that keeps recognition clear and uncluttered. Click here to become a premier sponsor.
How Sponsorships Work
- Two featured sponsors per week. Each week, two sponsors are highlighted in both newsletters, with their logos and links to their website.
- Sponsors page. Updated every Friday, this page lists all active sponsors. It’s linked in every newsletter and shared on Facebook once a week to ensure broad community reach.
- Consistent visibility. Every sponsor is recognized on a reliable schedule according to their package — clear, simple, and never cluttered.
Newsletter recognition appears in this exact format:
This week’s newsletter sponsor is [Sponsor Name]. Their support helps sustain independent local reporting in Marblehead. Learn more at [sponsorwebsite.com]. (Your logo will appear above or beside this text, hyperlinked to your website.)
Nonprofit sponsorships
To encourage civic participation, nonprofits receive a 50% discount on any sponsorship tier, whether they sponsor directly or an individual covers the package on their behalf.
Founders’ Circle
The Founders’ Circle is how Marblehead readers spark The Independent. These are the early gifts that make it possible to launch and sustain a newsroom rooted here.
Every Founders’ Circle contribution — whether $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or more — is permanently recognized on our Founders Page, a digital wall of gratitude built brick by brick, name by name. Already, neighbors have stepped forward with gifts ranging from $1,000 to $5,000, showing the confidence this model deserves.
Joining the Founders’ Circle means your name becomes part of The Independent’s foundation. It also means you’re helping cover the essentials: a reporter’s salary, health insurance and the tools to keep civic coverage flowing week after week.
👉 Click here to join the Founders’ Circle
If you’d prefer a steady commitment, please also consider a monthly membership — $15 a month is the anchor that keeps the lights on, with higher tiers funding deeper reporting and growth.