Editorial Independence
We subscribe to standards of editorial independence adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News.
Southerly retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions. Our board of directors does not make editorial decisions.
Ethics
Southerly is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)3 media organization. We abide by the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. View the SPJ Code of Ethics here.
We may publish rigorously verified information provided to us by confidential sources whose identities are known to us.
We clearly disclose any potential conflicts of interest.
We promptly address errors in our reporting and issue clear corrections.
Financial Transparency
Southerly accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. We do not accept funding from sources that present a conflict of interest. We do not accept funding from sources who may compromise our independence.
Southerly may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.
We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.
We are committed to transparency in every aspect of funding our organization. We make public all donors who give $1,000 or more per year. We will not accept donations from government entities, political parties, elected officials, or candidates actively seeking public office. We will not accept donations from sources who present a conflict of interest or compromise our independence.
Southerly will make public all donors who give a total of $1,000 or more per year. Those donors are listed below. Thank you to all our donors for supporting our work.
Find our 990s here: 2020, 2021
$10,000 and above
Solutions Journalism Network
North Carolina Local News Lab
Temple Hoyne Buell Center for the Study of American Architecture at Columbia University
$5,000 and above
Even T. Collinsworth Jr. Memorial Fund
Meta Journalism Project
Jonathan Logan Family Foundation
REI
PEN America Foundation
$2,500 and above
Norman and Emmy Lou Illges Foundation
$1,000 and above
Rita Allen Foundation
Alan L. Marks, American Endowment Foundation
Jacob Kupferman
Stuart Meiklejohn