It’s a story we’ve heard over and over again — newspapers are failing. Newsrooms are shrinking. And we need to cut costs wherever possible. These are issues facing the news industry at large, and The Daily Utah Chronicle isn’t immune. As we’ve seen drops in both advertising revenue and in the small fraction of student fees we receive, it’s become clear to us and to a dedicated group of former Chronicle editors that we need to start exploring new ways to bring in revenue to support our student journalism.

So that’s what we did yesterday. At the time of writing, 30 people donated $1,515 dollars to us as part of Love Utah Give Utah, a state-wide day of giving back to non-profit organizations that make our community richer. In addition to these hugely generous donations, we received an incredible $1,000 matching grant from the Paul M. and Terrell H. Dougan Family Foundation to make these donations go twice as far to support our student journalists.

All of the money raised yesterday will go to a protected student fund to cover our student employee stipends. Our staff is reimbursed for the hard work and long hours they put into our newspaper, to enable them to focus on a job that will further their career goals much more than working double shifts at Starbucks would. Outside of the newspaper, they have full-time classes, homework, other jobs, and family obligations. And they still forge ahead, even in an industry they’re always told is withering and unrewarding, because they love student journalism — just like all of you who supported us yesterday.

These donations will go toward producing high-quality independent journalism, which we believe is the cornerstone of a democratic and informed campus. These donations will go toward ensuring that our students can continue to produce that journalism. And these donations will give an entire generation of young Utah journalists hope that the world isn’t as gloomy as it sometimes seems.

Thank you for spreading the love to The Daily Utah Chronicle yesterday, and thank you for your continued support of student journalism.