Sourcing
To the greatest possible extent ChicoSol ensures that stories fairly and appropriately represent diverse viewpoints.
To ensure reader trust, we will make a diligent effort to report the names of our story sources. When sources request anonymity, exceptions can be made if we are able to establish credibility and explain a justifiable reason for the anonymity.
Funding
As a not-for-profit organization, ChicoSol depends largely on the tax-deductible donor contributions made to our North Valley Community Foundation (NVCF) fund to cover operating expenses and to provide stipends to contributing writers. While NVCF serves as our fiscal sponsor, we maintain full editorial independence within NVCF; the foundation acts as a parent organization that has no input on editorial decision-making.
To view NVCF’s most recent tax (990) filings, click here.
We are in the process of applying for independent nonprofit status.
Donor-related policies:
ChicoSol follows the best practices for ethical and transparent funding policies as prescribed by the Institute for Nonprofit News in order to protect our independence and journalistic effectiveness.
- Our news judgments will not be based on or influenced by any revenue source.
- We will not solicit anonymous donations, but may accept them as long as no more than 15 percent of our total annual revenue comes from anonymous donors.
- We ensure transparency by gratefully thanking, identifying and listing on this page gifts totaling more than $5,000 in a calendar year.
- We may accept donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but will maintain editorial control of the coverage and cede no right of review or influence, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.
- We decline charitable donations from political parties, elected officials or candidates seeking public office, as well as local government.
- We retain full discretion over what stories our reporters cover and how and when even when our writers receive fellowship stipends for story coverage.
Avoiding conflicts of interest:
- We avoid donations from sources who, deemed by our Advisory Group, present a conflict of interest with our work or compromise our independence. ChicoSol has a detailed financial conflict-of-interest policy that is available to the public upon request.
- Contributing writers and editors must disclose any outside relationship between a subject of any article they write for us and themselves or their close relatives, and they are required to avoid submission of articles involving close friends and relatives, or individuals with whom they have outside business relationships.