WisconsinEye Urgent Funding Appeal

WisconsinEye is in urgent need of $1 million in operational support to continue its mission of government transparency over the next 12 months.

Without immediate funding, the network faces potential reductions in coverage – or complete shutdown – jeopardizing public access to live, unedited coverage of state government.

A CAUSE WORTH SUPPORTING

WisconsinEye is not just a media outlet – it’s a movement to guard the fundamental right of every Wisconsinite to see, hear, and evaluate the actions of elected officials. A healthy democracy demands that truth is accessible to all, our voices are heard, and our leaders are accountable.

WHY THE CALL TO ACTION & NEED FOR SUPPORT RIGHT NOW?

Due to a difficult philanthropic landscape – marked by donor fatigue, competing campaigns, record-breaking political fundraising, and economic uncertainty – our ability to operate is severely at risk.

WisconsinEye is not tethered to deep-rooted institutional support or local service missions. This puts us at a significant disadvantage in today’s competitive funding environment.

We are facing the real possibility of:

• Reducing staff essential to program production
• Scaling back or eliminating State Capitol coverage
• Permanently ceasing operations

This isn’t just about watching state government; it’s about ensuring long-term democratic resilience.

Without adequate funding support:

• Citizens lose firsthand visibility into state government decisions that shape their lives
• Trust and transparency in government erode
• Opportunities for partisan distortion of political proceedings increase
• Elected officials lose a vital communication link with their constituents
• Authentic insights into government proceedings diminish
• Journalists, advocates, and lobbyists lose a critical resource

GIVING TO WISCONSINEYE’S MISSION:

Is neither partisan nor political. It is an investment in an even playing field, unlike campaign donations that can sway policy or perception.

Helps to balance the scales, ensuring that every citizen, regardless of wealth or influence, has direct access to government proceedings.

Maintains and improves the technology systems needed to support the public’s demand for openness and ease of access.

THE KEY TO LONG-TERM VIABILITY: OPERATIONS + ENDOWMENT

Raising $1 million in immediate funding supports network operations for the next 12 months. This is our annual budget – a level that hasn’t increased in 4 years.

But it does much more than that. Securing our operations budget allows WisconsinEye to focus on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to secure the network’s long-term viability.

In the recently passed state budget, a bipartisan act of the Wisconsin Legislature and Governor Tony Evers has challenged WisconsinEye with a no-strings-attached, dollar-for-dollar match of up to $10 million in order to build a permanent endowment and forever secure WisconsinEye’s future.

This is a huge opportunity that comes with a time clock of 8 months to raise the matching funds from private, charitable donations.

OUR ASK

We cannot continue to do this alone. We will succeed only with your help. Your support will make the difference. Please consider making a tax-deductible gift to support operations now.

If you are a philanthropist, lobbyist, journalist, advocate, educator, or civic-minded individual who relies on or believes in open government, your support is crucial at this moment.

If we’ve asked for your support in the past and you hesitated, please reconsider. Now is the time to act. Transparency isn’t optional, it’s essential to our democracy.

Please help us keep the lights on for all to see.

TOGETHER, WE PROTECT DEMOCRACY

We remain unwavering in our commitment to transparency and accountability in state government. With your help, WisconsinEye can continue its mission and secure its future.

VISIT WISEYE.ORG/DONATE

Or mail a check to WisconsinEye
122 W. Washington Ave. Suite 200
Madison, WI 53703
Or text “WISEYE” to 44321

ALL WILL BE LOST WITHOUT NEEDED SUPPORT

For 18 years, WisconsinEye has served as Wisconsin’s unfiltered, nonpartisan lens into state government. With more than 18,000 hours of freely available programming and coverage, the network:

• Educates and engages citizens
• Acts as a watchdog and accountability tool
• Promotes fair and unbiased information
• Supports democratic deliberations and discourse
• Protects the public’s right to know
• Bridges gaps in media coverage

OUR RECORD OF SERVICE

WisconsinEye is a small staff – four working programming and production; one responsible for fundraising and administration. Our performance speaks volumes of our commitment to mission. In the last 2½ years alone WisconsinEye has:

• Covered 2,648 State Capitol & public policy events
• Produced 218 studio programs and 401 campaign-related events
• Reached over 2.4 million website page views and more than 320,000 unique visitors
• Maintained a social media base of nearly 40,000 followers

All coverage is delivered without editing or partisan spin. Viewers are empowered to freely search and share video from the wiseye.org website archive. All will be lost if WisconsinEye fails to meet its operational obligations.

TWO OF MANY SUPPORTING VOICES

“WisconsinEye has jealously guarded its mission during 17+ years of providing transparency to the complexities of government and the actions of elected officials. The role it plays for anyone to use is healthy for our democracy.” — The Capital Times

“For the people to hold their representatives accountable, access and information is critical. WisconsinEye broadcasts and digital archive serve that end. Quite simply, WisconsinEye opens the doors of state government to citizens in all corners of the state.” — Rick Esenberg, president, Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty

FOR A FRACTION OF WHAT IS SPENT ELECTING THEM TO OFFICE…

In the last few election cycles, in excess of $200 million has been raised and spent on candidates and campaigns in Wisconsin. Much of the spending bought TV and social media advertising that was negative, exaggerated, misleading, and divisive. For a small fraction of that amount, – just $1 million – the impact on truth-in-politics will be substantial.

Wisconsinites deserve to see their government in action — unfiltered, unbiased, and accessible. Open government is more than an ideal; it’s a necessity. We need your support. It will ensure that this vital, reliable, and trusted resource remains accessible and independent.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.