The 51st is expanding

We want to be the newsroom D.C. needs at this critical time, so we’re raising funds to triple our reporting capacity. Success means converting a part-time editor to full-time, hiring a longtime freelance reporter, and hiring a third reporter, who we hope will be a laid-off Washington Post journalist. We need your help to do it! All support is tax-deductible.

When The Washington Post and its billionaire owner fired the majority of its local reporters, along with hundreds of their colleagues, it dealt a brutal blow to D.C. residents’ ability to hold elected officials accountable, make informed decisions, and feel connected to their neighbors. 

It’s hard to find hope amidst so much collapse. But in the wreckage of today’s crises, people are also powering solutions — and The 51st, backed by the community of D.C., is one of them. Less than 3 days after the layoffs, we had 700 new paying members, with more joining every day. Join us to keep building something new, something a billionaire can’t break.

OR SUPPORT WITH A ONE-TIME GIFT:

We’re small and under no illusion that we alone can fill the void left by the journalists we’ve lost at The Post. But we also know that we’re building in a steady and sustainable way, funded predominantly by reader support.

The 51st grew out of the ashes of a catastrophic loss for D.C. — WAMU’s decision to shutter DCist and lay off 16 newsroom employees. With your help, we’re fighting back against the destruction of local news again and creating more of what D.C. deserves: news and information that makes people’s lives better, sustainably funded by readers and led by journalists. That foundation, built and sustained by D.C. residents, is a lot sturdier than the whims of a billionaire.

We have big ambitions: to be D.C.’s go-to source for local news — one where residents of all 8 wards can feel seen, heard, and connected. It’s a mission that has always felt urgent, but after The Post’s executives abandoned our city, we know we need to kick it into high gear. 

There are many ways to support, and we’re a 501c3, so these are all tax-deductible:

• New annual and monthly memberships
• Upgrading an existing membership to a higher level 
• One-time gifts via the form above or through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF) EIN 99-3371005.
• As we continue to grow, we’re also looking for grant opportunities, foundations to support our work, and major donors to offer matches.

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