MetaTalk

Fundraising updates now that August is over: we're up about $1100/mo in new recurring monthly subscription income from where we started at the start of the month. We've also received a few thousand dollars in additional one-time donations from site members and readers. And, as an extremely generous cherry on top, we also recieved a $15,000 donation from long-time nerd and friend of the site Jeff Atwood. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Sep 3, 2021 - 32 comments

It's fundraising time! MetaFilter depends primarily on user and reader support to continue to operate: that funding pays for moderation, site development, and basic administrative costs like server hosting. It is increasingly difficult to operate a site like ours in the modern web economy, and your financial contributions through one-time contributions and recurring subscriptions have made, and will make, all the difference in keeping MeFi going.

You can start or increase your subscription here. I'll answer some questions about what we need, where the money goes, and what's coming up below, so come on inside if you want more detail. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Aug 2, 2021 - 74 comments

I want to update everybody about how moderator schedules have changed recently to account for budget constraints. The short version is: we’re actively monitoring the site most of the time instead of 24/7 to reduce costs, and while this shouldn’t directly affect member experiences overall it does mean occasionally waiting a little longer than previously for moderator responses on flags and emails. Come on in for some more detail if you’re interested. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Jul 14, 2021 - 57 comments

My hair is too long! Something's gotta be done! So, here's the deal: for every new $50 in monthly recurring contributions to MetaFilter we see in September, I'll cut an inch off. I've got about 14 inches of hair right now, so we've got a lot of ground to cover. Come inside to track my progress with the patent-pending MetaFilter Hair-O-Meter. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Sep 2, 2020 - 31 comments

Hey folks, time for a quarterly update on how the site's doing financially, and a reminder that the direct financial support of MetaFilter's membership and readers is fundamental to keeping this place operational. Your help supporting this community is vital, and appreciated. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Jan 15, 2020 - 0 comments

Here's a first quarterly update on where we're at with site revenue and expenses. We've made some progress from where we were this summer; your help in funding the site is a fundamental part of that. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Oct 16, 2019 - 0 comments

It's a little over a month since the State of the Site post where I talked about our current revenue shortfall, and as part of a goal of moving toward more regular financial updates I wanted to give a quick snapshot of where we are now. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Aug 19, 2019 - 223 comments

Hey, folks. It's been about a year since our last State of the Site update, and I want to let you know where things are at and where we're headed. The site turns 20 years old in a few days, which is a hell of an internet milestone. Financially, I wish I had better news: our ad revenue has dropped significantly again, and we're running at a significant monthly shortfall. This has underscored for me the need to seriously push toward the goal of making MetaFilter a fully community-funded site. Come inside and I'll talk more about our revenue picture, our short- and long-term fundraising goals, and some of where the site and community and mods are at more generally as we head on into the future. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Jul 10, 2019 - 1038 comments

Recently, I announced that MetaFilter was in serious financial trouble, and asked you to help with additional community funding of the site.

Y'all have really, really come through. Recurring contributions supporting the site are up by almost $10,000 a month and growing, erasing our current shortfall and helping move MetaFilter toward a more sustainable, independent revenue model. Community funding alone now covers very nearly half our operating budget. That's amazing.

Come on in and I'll give you the details on what's happened and what we're up to next. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Jun 28, 2018 - 157 comments

Important site updates, folks:

1. The site is running at a significant deficit and we urgently need to make that up. Part of that is through additional direct community funding; you can help here.
2. We're looking at—and inviting community input on—several big-picture questions.

Today I want to lay out our budget and income streams, to explain where we're at and what we need to accomplish. I'll also talk a bit about how the community is doing, and what's coming up in the future. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Jun 13, 2018 - 986 comments

Heya, folks, it's time (and then some!) for a State of MetaFilter post. I want to give everybody an update on how the site is doing financially, and catch y'all up on the major goings-on in both the business and community aspects of MetaFilter in the time since the last State of MeFi post.

The very short version: it's been a weird couple years out there in the world; we've hired a couple staff and wished pb well; and things are financially pretty stable, thanks in significant part to the ongoing generosity of the MetaFilter community whose contributions continue to represent a vital chunk of the site's operating revenue. But come on inside for a much less short version! [more inside]
posted by cortex on Mar 22, 2017 - 143 comments

It’s been a busy year on Metafilter, with some big changes over the last twelve months.  Some of the hardest changes were the result of the financial difficulties that came to a head last May with significant staffing cuts.  And the best thing to happen for the site was the tremendous outpouring of generosity from Metafilter’s members in response to that financial crisis, through voluntary funding of Metafilter.  

I want to thank all of you again for your support, and give you an update on where site finances are now, how funding has helped, and how we’re trying to make it easier to support the site in a way that works well for you—including a new alternative to PayPal. [more inside]
posted by cortex on Jun 8, 2015 - 220 comments