Your Community Media Needs You
Mound City Messenger is proud to announce that we are a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. This means that we can officially accept tax-deductible online donations! As we continue our commitment to honest, local journalism, your support is essential to ensure that our small but mighty website can continue shining a light on the stories that matter most to St. Louis. While we know that we can’t match the volume of content from commercial outlets, our volunteers are committed to doing our part to bring our readers important stories that impact our lives. With your help, we’ll be able to continue growing the site and providing coverage of overlooked stories that matter.
Why support us right now?
In just the past few weeks, Mound City Messenger has delivered probing and timely political reporting. We recently ran an insightful article revealing that the mayor may lack the legal authority to unilaterally suspend the city’s contractor diversity (MWBE) program. Just before that, we were the only outlet to report on a recent city court victory that opened the door to a significant improvement in the city’s conflict of interest rules for elected officials. We’ve also been the only outlet covering the ongoing conflict roiling St. Louis Association of Community Organizations (SLACO). On a more positive note, we also took time to celebrate a dozen years of the Sunflower+ Project in Old North St. Louis.
In the aftermath of the historic tornado that tore off roofs and collapsed walls across much of north St. Louis, Mound City Messenger was there to not only cover the cleanup efforts, we also helped draw attention to fundraising efforts that supported the nonprofits leading the immediate response. We also published a two–part story from Michael Allen that highlighted the city’s longstanding “urban triage” planning that led to the conditions that had begun emptying northern neighborhoods, decades before the tornado’s arrival.
Cultural coverage also remains at the heart of our mission. On the theatre front, our critic Tina Farmer recently praised The LaBute New Theater Festival, which presented a compelling slate of new short plays by both established and emerging artists, spotlighting the thriving creative pulse of St. Louis theatre. And let’s not forget her review of the Muny’s spectacular production of EVITA, which Farmer called “spectacularly entertaining” in its vibrant portrayal of Eva Perón’s meteoric rise. Our musical coverage has brought attention to numerous local acts and even highlighted a surprising connection that many local bands have built with a Texas-based record label. Meanwhile, our visual arts coverage has featured galleries across the city, often covering exciting shows in smaller galleries that go often unmentioned by the city’s commercial media.
Speaking of things that have largely gone uncovered by commercial media, our coverage of local protests over the ongoing war in Gaza showed that St. Louisans have not gone silent in their opposition to the ongoing violence. While many outlets shied away from covering local opposition to Israel’s military actions, we did not. As world opinion on the destruction of Gaza continues to shift, we are proud to have provided a platform for local dissent.
Our policy inviting guest opinion pieces has brought a variety of voices to the site. You’ve been able to read articles from the candidates for Comptroller, a state representative explaining the impacts of recent state budget cuts, and more. We have even given Sauget’s Gateway Grizzlies baseball team repeated coverage over the season. Since we are non-commercial, we aren’t driven to generate clickbait articles. This gives our volunteers time to cover things they think are important to our region, even if they are decidedly non-sensational.
These stories are just a few examples of how the Mound City Messenger provides a platform for issues and artists often overlooked by mainstream media. These articles are the result of efforts that require time, skill, and resources. All of it brought to you without advertising.
That’s where you come in.
How You Can Help Sustain and Grow Mound City Messenger
- Donate Online
Your gift, whether one-time or monthly, makes a real difference—and as a 501(c)(3), contributions are tax-deductible. Visit our Donate page to choose an amount and schedule. (Mound City Messenger) - Share Our Stories
Help us reach new readers by sharing our articles—whether on social media or through your own networks. Awareness fuels support. - Become a Volunteer Writer
Aspiring writers, critics, or community storytellers—this is your chance. We’re always looking for volunteer contributors who can bring fresh perspectives on politics, culture, labor, music, and more. Join our mission to keep independent journalism alive in St. Louis. Every person involved in the site is a volunteer who has decided to dedicate their time to covering the topics they care about. With your help, the site could expand and diversify our coverage of music, politics, labor issues, art, and things happening in parts of the community that we have yet to reach. Interested? Reach out to us at editorial@moundcitymessenger.com.
Why Your Community Support Matters
After the recent losses of the Riverfront Times and KDHX, Mound City Messenger stands as an increasingly rare independent voice in the local media landscape. We are committed to covering our city’s ongoing struggles, triumphs, and culture without compromise. Yet, those stories don’t write themselves. Behind each one stand volunteers writing, editing, taking photographs, and more. We are community contributors who believe in the power of local journalism to inform, inspire, and strengthen our civic life. With your support, Mound City Messenger can continue to harness that power for all of St. Louis.
Thank you for believing in the power of community journalism.
