Today’s article is number 501.

That means FYIVT has published more than five hundred original pieces in roughly a year and a half — covering Vermont policy, economics, demographics, public finance, regulation, energy, housing, public safety, technology, and the occasional practical issue that simply affects people living here.

That volume didn’t happen by accident, and it didn’t happen cheaply.

FYIVT was built on a simple idea: provide clear, fact-driven information Vermonters can actually use, without ads, without tracking, without institutional backing, and without shaping coverage around clicks or outrage. The goal has always been clarity first — even when that clarity is uncomfortable.

Five hundred articles later, the model has proven something important: people read this. The audience is real, growing, and engaged. Articles circulate. Data gets reused. Legislators, candidates, business owners, journalists, and everyday Vermonters pay attention. FYIVT has become part of the state’s information ecosystem.

But here’s the reality that comes with that milestone.

Producing this volume of work costs time and money. Real time. Real opportunity cost. Hosting, software, research tools, public records, data access, and thousands of hours of labor. FYIVT doesn’t run ads, doesn’t sell data, doesn’t track readers, and doesn’t outsource its editorial judgment to sponsors. That independence is intentional — but it also means the only sustainable funding source is reader support.

Right now, that support exists, but it’s thin.

A small group of readers has stepped up and chosen to support the project financially. They deserve credit. Their support helps cover baseline costs and keeps the lights on. But five hundred articles deep, it’s clear that a publication operating at this pace can’t rely on a handful of people indefinitely.

This isn’t about “buying access.” FYIVT isn’t selling exclusivity, insider gossip, or gated opinions. The value has already been delivered — publicly, consistently, and in full view. Reader support isn’t payment for content; it’s support for the ability to continue producing it.

If FYIVT has helped you better understand how Vermont actually works — how money moves, how policy decisions are made, how regulations land in the real world, how incentives shape outcomes — then it has already done its job. Supporting it is simply recognizing that value and helping ensure it doesn’t disappear.

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There’s also an important point worth stating plainly: independent reporting only survives when enough people decide it matters in practice, not just in principle. Praise, sharing links, and private messages of encouragement are appreciated, but they don’t pay hosting bills or buy back time. At some point, a project like this either develops a real support base or it scales back.

No drama. No threats. Just math.

FYIVT was originally built with the goal of publishing daily through the midterm election cycle — keeping people informed, engaged, and paying attention during a period when decisions with long-term consequences are being made. That goal still stands. But sustaining daily output requires broader reader participation.

Supporting FYIVT doesn’t require a large commitment. Most supporters contribute about the cost of a coffee or two each month. Individually small, collectively meaningful. That’s how reader-funded projects work when they work well.

If you read FYIVT regularly, rely on it as a reference, or appreciate having a Vermont-focused source that isn’t chasing national narratives or institutional approval, this is the moment to decide whether it’s worth backing.

Because here’s the honest bottom line:
Projects like this don’t fail because people disagree with them. They fail because too many people assume someone else will carry the load.

FYIVT has crossed the 500-article mark. The work is established. The value is proven. What determines the next 500 isn’t ambition or effort — it’s whether enough readers are willing to help sustain it.

If FYIVT matters to you, consider becoming a supporter. Not to buy access, not for perks, but to keep an independent, ad-free, privacy-respecting source of Vermont information alive and working.

Five hundred articles in, the path forward is simple. Either this becomes a genuinely reader-supported publication — or it eventually slows down.

The choice, as always, belongs to the readers.

If you found this information valuable and want to support independent journalism in Vermont, become a supporter for just $5/month today!

Dave Soulia | FYIVT

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