{"id":541840,"date":"2023-06-08T10:48:51","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T14:48:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/?page_id=541840"},"modified":"2023-06-23T11:11:20","modified_gmt":"2023-06-23T15:11:20","slug":"2021-annual-report","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2021-annual-report\/","title":{"rendered":"2021 Annual Report"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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2021 Annual Report<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The mission of the Vermont Journalism Trust is to produce rigorous journalism that explains complex issues, promotes public accountability and fosters democratic and civic engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2021 Impact Highlights<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Ben Bergstein and North End Studios<\/h3>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t
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\u2018This is the way the world is\u2019: North End Studios founder accused of sexual misconduct<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t

Eight people, including three former employees, allege that Ben Bergstein sexually harassed or abused them over the course of a decade. He has been barred from Winooski city property.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby<\/span> Katya Schwenk<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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Former North End Studios leader Ben Bergstein avoids jail time with plea deal<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t

The founder of a Burlington arts organization pleaded guilty to lewd conduct in July and was sentenced to six years probation, according to court records.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby<\/span> Patrick Crowley<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Dairy farming<\/h3>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"What\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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What does Horizon\u2019s exit mean for Vermont\u2019s organic dairy producers?<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t

While organic producers with stable contracts appear to maintain solid footing, those within the industry worry about the market becoming inaccessible to new farmers.\u2026<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby<\/span> Emma Cotton<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Stonyfield\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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Stonyfield agrees to buy milk from some organic farmers dropped by Danone<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t

Stonyfield Organic\u2019s decision covers some, but not all, of the farmers who would soon have nowhere to sell. The company\u2019s co-founder calls the move\u2026<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby<\/span> Emma Cotton<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Organic\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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Organic Valley offers \u2018lifeboat\u2019 for many organic farmers, but national trends still threaten Northeast<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t

Organic dairy farmers have expressed emphatic relief in response to Organic Valley\u2019s decision to sign on the majority of farmers Horizon Organic left behind.\u2026<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby<\/span> Emma Cotton<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

The Vice Principal<\/h3>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"The\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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The vice principal: How a small Vermont town overlooked the abuse of two teens<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t

Over the course of his decade-long tenure at Randolph Union Middle\/High School, David Barnett\u2019s alleged abuse became a crime hidden in plain sight, obscured by a culture of trust and a common faith in the community.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby<\/span> Katie Jickling<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Housing Challenges<\/h3>\n\n\n\t\n\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\u2018Bermuda\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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\u2018Bermuda Triangle\u2019: Vermonters experiencing homelessness face challenges getting help<\/a><\/h2>\t\t\t\t\t\t

As state leaders in Montpelier deliberate the hotel program\u2019s future and other policy measures yet again, people using the program and others experiencing homelessness say they face persistent anxiety about whether or not they\u2019ll have a place to stay.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tby<\/span> Riley Robinson<\/a><\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Covid-19<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

VTDigger\u2019s reporting on the Delta and Omicron Covid-19<\/a> waves documented a critical period of the pandemic in Vermont. Officials had wound down key aspects of the state\u2019s Covid response following the success of the spring 2021 vaccination drive. In the process, they resisted many experts and wide swaths of the public, who worried \u2014 correctly \u2014 that a fall wave of infections could be severe. Throughout the fall and winter, VTDigger published a series of reports that scrutinized the state\u2019s strategy of leaving prevention efforts to individuals and analyzed the consequences of the widespread infections that followed. The organization remained responsive to readers, who continued to press for accurate Covid data analysis and clear public health recommendations in light of the state\u2019s rapidly shifting messaging. The newsroom also responded to readers\u2019 requests to highlight impacts on the state\u2019s education, health care and prison systems. VTDigger provided indispensable information to Vermonters that could not be found elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A huge thank you to you and the VTDigger Team for all that you do covering stories impacting Vermont and Vermonters. Prior to the pandemic I was not aware of your organization. VTDigger is now my go to source for news. <\/p>\nReader<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Awards and Recognition in 2021 <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

For reporting published in 2020<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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LION Publishers<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Winner of Best Local Election\/Voting Coverage and finalist for Investigative Report of the Year. Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThis is what careful planning and cultivating reader trust looks like. VTDigger\u2019s longtime relationship with its audience and continued fulfillment of its editorial mission has resulted in election coverage to which all organizations, no matter the size, should aspire.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 LION Judges\u2019 comment for Best Local Election\/Voting Coverage<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The New England Newspaper and Press Association<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A dozen awards \u2014 including five first-place finishes, for investigative reporting, photography and the use of social media in breaking news. Read more<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cA superb piece of reporting that raised serious red flags about the potential dangers of a militia training site in Vermont. The reporting was strong enough to force state officials to take action. Bravo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2013 NENPA Judge\u2019s comment for Investigative\/Enterprise Reporting first place winner, Slate Ridge by Emma Cotton<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Thanks for digging up and telling stories in a long enough format that gets me thinking, develops my curiosity and got me to go to the website and learn more.<\/p>\nReader<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Community and Events<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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Member Drives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

VTDigger partnered with the Children\u2019s Literacy Foundation (CLiF) during our Spring Member Drive to send one book to a Vermont child for each member donation we received. Our members sent 3,000 books to future news readers across the state. In the winter, we partnered once again with the Vermont Foodbank, and our members sent 40,000 meals to Vermonters facing food insecurity. We are deeply grateful for our members without whose support we would not be able to produce our public service journalism and we thank our partners for the incredible work they do for Vermonters every single day.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Community Listening<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

In 2021, VTDigger undertook a community listening project<\/a> to help better understand regional news needs in Northwestern Vermont. We had a newly doubled pandemic audience with heightened information needs, new appreciation for the power of responsive journalism and an opportunity to build out regional reporting in Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties. In total, the listening project incorporated the voices of 540 Vermonters. That included 154 individuals who participated in one-on-one interviews and 386 people from Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties who completed the online survey. The project resulted in a final report and the creation of ambitious yet achievable goals aimed at responding to community news needs in the region.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Local Live(s)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

VTDigger partnered with Back Pocket Media to produce two live community events in 2021. The Local Live(s) events featured our reporters alongside community members and musicians. Audience members joined us virtually and in-person for an eve of live storytelling that pulled back the curtain on the journalistic process and built trust in local news.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Financials<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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VTDigger 2021 Revenue<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Grants | $424,520
Underwriting | $553,960
Individual Contributions | $2,342,070
News Revenue | $27,318
Other | $27,748
Total Revenue | $3,375,616<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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