Membership FAQ

Why become a member of THE CITY?

When you become a member of THE CITY, you join a community of New Yorkers who want to make NYC a better place for everyone who lives here. CITY members understand that local journalism is essential for solving local problems.

Members’ support enables our newsroom to produce accountability reporting that drives change, explanatory journalism that helps New Yorkers better understand our complex city, and human-centered storytelling that makes people pay attention.

As an independent, nonprofit news organization, we depend on support from our readers to keep our team on the beat. When you become a member, you help ensure that our newsroom will be here to serve New Yorkers every day.

How much does it cost?

You get to decide: Anyone who contributes $1 or more per year is a member, so give whatever amount works for you. No membership gift is too small or too big.

While any support is appreciated, setting up a monthly or annual recurring contribution is particularly helpful, no matter how much you can give. Knowing we can count on your support enables us to more confidently plan and budget for future reporting initiatives. Plus, we won’t need to bother you with renewal requests a year later.

What if I want to join by check or with my donor advised fund?

You can mail a check to THE CITY, c/o Membership Program, 228 East 45th Street, Ground Floor M#97 New York, NY 10017. If you mail a check, it’s helpful to include your email address so we can link your contribution to your newsletter subscription record.

If you would like to support THE CITY from your donor advised fund, please direct your gift to our formal organizational name and tax identification number as follows: City Report, Inc. Tax Identification Number: 37-1896785.

What do I get as a member of THE CITY?

Members receive some pretty cool CITY-branded swag that shows you're someone who is in-the-know and wants to make NYC a better place for everyone. Depending on your contribution, you might get a mug, t-shirt, or tote bag. You can see the benefits at each level at the top of this page.

Do you have suggestions for other ways we can make the member experience great? Email us at [email protected].

Is a membership the same as a donation?

Anyone who contributes $1 or more in a year becomes part of THE CITY’s member community. You can join with a one-time contribution or set up a monthly or annual recurring contribution.

As we mentioned above, recurring contributions are particularly helpful to us. Knowing we can count on your support enables us to more confidently plan and budget for future reporting initiatives. Plus, if you set up a recurring payment, we won’t need to bother you with renewal requests a year later.

How does THE CITY use members’ contributions?

In 2020, support from our members made up about 10 percent of THE CITY’s annual budget of $4.5 million. That’s a big deal — and we hope to grow member support to 15 percent of our budget in the next few years. Support from our members now covers more than 16 percent of our payroll.

Membership support is particularly important to us because it’s unrestricted, meaning those funds can be spent on whatever is most needed. This gives us the flexibility to respond quickly to news events. For example, in the early months of the pandemic, we created our Coronavirus Tracker to monitor progression of the virus. If we had to write a grant to fund this work, it could have taken months. Instead, thanks to our members, we were able to create this information resource for New Yorkers in a matter of weeks.

Besides members, how else are you funded?

THE CITY is also funded through foundation grants, major donors and sponsorships. Our list of funders who have given cumulatively more than $1,000 since THE CITY’s launch can be found here and you can find THE CITY’s audited financial statements here.

I can’t afford to give money right now. Are there other ways I can support you?

Absolutely! You can share our articles with friends and encourage them to sign up for our newsletters. You can also share tips with us or attend one of our Open Newsroom and Civic Newsroom meetings — keep an eye on THE CITY Scoop newsletter for announcements of upcoming meetings. We frequently post callouts to help us do better journalism. Replying to these callouts and sharing them with friends and neighbors is another way to help us do our work.

Is my membership tax-deductible?

Yes, we’re a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and your membership contribution is tax-deductible.

I would like a receipt. How do I get one?

When you make an online contribution, you’ll receive an email receipt from [email protected]. But if you didn’t receive it or can’t find it, you can email us at [email protected], and we’ll be happy to send another one.

I never received my mug/t-shirt/tote/baseball cap/mask/hoodie. How can I get it?

It will take three to four weeks from the day you join to receive your membership swag in the mail. If it’s been a month and you still haven’t received it, please email us at [email protected].

I have a story idea or tip for one of your reporters. How can I share it?

We definitely want to hear from you! You can email us at [email protected].

How do I change the credit card that my membership is linked to?

We’re upgrading our payment processing system in the coming months, and you’ll be able to manage your credit card information, contribution amount and more in your own online account. In the meantime, email us at [email protected], and we’ll walk you through it.

How do I change the email address that my membership is linked to?

Email us your new preferred address at [email protected], and we’ll update your record.

Why am I getting emails asking me to become a member when I already am one?

This sometimes happens if you have more than one email address in our system. For example, if you subscribed with one email but used a different one when you joined as a member, then we’ll need to link your records. Email us at [email protected], and we can fix this.

If you joined with a one-time contribution, we’ll also reach out to you in about 11 months to ask you to renew your membership for the next year. If you sign up with a recurring monthly or annual contribution, we won’t need to bother you with these renewal requests.

What do I do if I want to cancel my membership?

No problem. Just email us at [email protected] and let us know.

I have a question about my membership that isn’t covered above.

We’re here to answer any questions you have. Drop us a line at [email protected].