2019 Progress Report Letter from the Board Chair You may have noticed that VaNews looks a little different, and hopefully is easier to read. The clips now begin with the seven most important and interesting headlines. If you just need the basics, you can stop there. If you would like more coverage, you can keep scrolling. STAFF The improvements to VaNews are the first result of a new Strategic Plan that the VPAP Board of Directors approved in December. David M. Poole Executive Director One focus will be improving the user experience. We’re mindful that people are increasingly time challenged. And we want to make sure that our unique Ric Arenstein data is relevant and understandable to a broad audience – from those who Major Gifts Officer do politics for a living to those who are just now tuning in. Jason Kostyk The VPAP team is excited to begin implementing our new strategic Data Developer vision. I encourage you to read the plan for yourself and let us know Ali Mislowsky what you think. VaNews Coordinator On behalf of the VPAP Board, I would like to thank the more than Michael Stanley 1,300 companies, groups and individuals who invest in our nonpartisan Data Analyst mission. Your generous support helps elevate public understanding of Virginia government and politics. Sarah Stack Office Manager Sincerely, Rachel Dominy Graphic Design and Communications Manager Jeffrey M. Britt CONTACT VPAP Board Chair Phone: (804) 353-4300 Headquarters Board of Directors 1209 E. Cary Street, Suite 200 Richmond, VA 23219 Mailing Address P.O. Box 1472 Richmond, VA 23218 Jeffrey M. Britt Nneka Chiazor Ross Grogg The Virginia Public Access Project is a Chair Vice Chair & Secretary Treasurer 503(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation. All McGuireWoods Consulting Cox Communications Kemper Consulting donations to VPAP are deductible on federal taxes to the full extent of the law. Federal Tax ID 54-1825691. Tom Cosgrove Margaret Edds Carol Ford Marvin Figueroa Elizabeth Hooper Chuck James FOLLOW VPAP Newport News Retired Journalist Serco Inc. Commonwealth Virginia Tech Williams Mullen Shipbuilding of Virginia @vpapupdates facebook.com/VPAP.org @vpapupdates Bill Leighty Jeff Mitchell John O’Bannon Nicole Riley Nancy Smith DecideSmart, Mitchell Neurological NFIB Middle Resolution LLC Law Firm Associates PAC Strategic Plan Adopted December 2019 The Virginia Public Access Project OUR MISSION was founded in 1997 to ensure that Elevate public understanding of Virginia politics and Virginians could follow the money in government by organizing and presenting public information in politics. Since then, VPAP has developed ways that are easily accessible to all and free of partisan bias. a unique, nonpartisan approach that elevates public understanding of complex VISION data related to Virginia’s elections, An enlightened and inclusive democracy powered by demographics and legislative process. an informed electorate. Areas Of Strategic Focus GOAL 1: Create resources that inform GOAL 2: voters. Invest in our mission through innovation and efficiency. User Experience: Improve design Marketing and Growth: Diversify and of the website, data visualizations grow VPAP’s statewide audience and other products to make them understandable to a wider audience Innovation: Continue to modernize and enhance our technology VaNews: Create a more efficient, accessible gateway for informed voters Independence: Engage donors and create new opportunities for civic- Civic Education: Provide tools for those minded philanthropists to support VPAP teaching the next generation of voters Continuity: Engage in succession New Opportunities: Explore planning for board and staff to ensure expanding content that fosters long-term strength and sustainability of civic discourse in Virginia the organization Measures of Success +21% Donors Follower Growth 14,725 43 VaNews Readers $5,000 or more Election Day Traffic 9,707 articles aggregated 1,412,947 clicks on articles 152 1.2 Million $1,000 - $4,999 5 Pageviews 146 256 $250 -$ 999 1M Data Visuals Produced 2019 312 500 $100 - $249 2017 200+ Teachers Attended 563 Sun Mon Election Day Wed Seminars <$100 2019 Financial Results Revenue Annual Fund $532,149 $912,584 Lighten Up! Luncheon $213,104 VaNews $95,851 Media $32,074 Investment Income $22,761 Candidates $14,145 Other $2,500 Expenses Personnel $631,945 $903,165 Technology $93,828 Professional Services $63,007 Marketing, Events $61,461 Rent, Office $41,325 Staff Development $11,599 Thank You to Our 2019 Supporters $50,000 Michael J. Quillen Virginia Association for Virginia Municipal League The Richmond Times-Dispatch* Commercial Real Estate Virginia Trial Lawyers The Mousetrap Foundation S. Sonjia Smith Virginia Association of Association $40,000 TowneBank Richmond Broadcasters The Virginian-Pilot* Virginia Press Association $1,500 Cox Communications John O. Wynne* Volkswagen Group of America, AARP Virginia* M. Dendy Young Inc. $35,000 Anheuser-Busch Betting on Virginia Jobs PAC $4,000 $2,000 Ronald D. Abramson* Commonwealth Strategy Group McGuireWoods Consulting Allen Allen Allen & Allen Jeannemarie & Tom Davis* $20,000 Jeff Mitchell CGI GEICO William A. Olson Mark Ohrstrom* Leslie Cheek III Gentry Locke Smithfield Foods Claude Moore Charitable HCA Virginia Hospitals $15,000 Virginia Automobile Dealers Foundation Adams Construction Company Association Cathy & Ed Gillespie Jean & Bob Kane Matthew Calkins Virginia Tech Jack L. Harris Aubrey Layne Tom Hirst Williams Mullen Landmark Foundation John G. Milliken Allison Weinstein & Ivan Jecklin Ivor Massey Jr. Hon. John O’Bannon* $3,000 Matt Benedetti* Raytheon Co* $12,500 AT&T Micron Technology, Inc. Riverside Health System Dominion Energy* Jeffrey Breit* Northern Virginia Chamber of David G. Speck Edward H. Rice* Capital Results Commerce Virginia Association of Health Josée G. Covington* George L. Ohrstrom II* Plans* $10,000 Vince Mastracco* Deborah Oswalt Virginia Bankers Association Sentara Healthcare* Virginia Dental Association* Leonard Bennett Mercer Trigiani LLP Dawn & Stuart Siegel Virginia Natural Gas* Clean Virginia* Gil Minor* Troutman Sanders Washington Gas* Barbara Fried Praxis Foundation VA, MD & DE Association of Marvin W. Gilliam, Jr. Northern Virginia Electric Electric Cooperatives $1,400 Washington Post* Cooperative Old Dominion Electric Virginia Chamber of Commerce Appalachian Power Company $7,500 Cooperative Virginia Education Association B2L Consulting LLC Bittle & Charlotte Porterfield Virginia Health Care Bon Secours Virginia Health Altria Group The Roanoke Times* Association System Comcast Mr. & Mrs. James E. Ukrop* Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Colonial Downs Loren W. Hershey* Virginia AFL-CIO Association W. Sheppard Miller III Virginia Realtors* TowneBank $5,000 $2,500 Carrie Johnson’s Mimi Abel Smith The Honorable & Legacy Gift Apartment & Office Building Mrs. Gerald L. Baliles Association John H. Birdsall III A bequest from Carolyn W. Charles Ryan Associates* Mike Bisceglia John T. Hazel Jr. Johnson, a longtime Arlington Becky & Hap Chalmers Paul Hirschbiel Jr. ESG Enterprises, Inc. community leader and avid E. Scott Kasprowicz June A. Williams* reader VaNews, provided a much appreciated Kotarides Developers LLC Richard B. Gilliam Michael Morency* boost to VPAP’s financial support last year. Margaret & Shashikant Gupta Newport News Shipbuilding Robert R. Hatten Northern Virginia Association Joan M. Huffer & of Realtors Planned Giving Robert H. Dugger Mary & Clarke Ohrstrom Inova Health System Planned giving is one way to ensure a lasting Paladyn Group* Carrie Johnson* Port of Virginia legacy of helping elevate public understanding of William H. Leighty* Queen of Virginia Skill & Harry T. Lester* Virginia government and politics. If you would like Entertainment LLC The May Family Foundation to discuss including VPAP in your estate planning, Wendy & Tom Rosenthal M. Yaqub Mirza Transurban please contact Ric Arenstein, Major Gifts Officer, Scott C. Plein at [email protected] or call 804-353-4300. *Gave more than amount listed Thank you to our 2019 Supporters Columbia Gas of Virginia W. Heywood Fralin Judy Ford Wason Home Builders Association of Cozen O’Connor William H. Fralin Jr. John Watkins Virginia Enterprise Rent-a-Car Rick Gallaer WestRock James River Air Conditioning Co Hancock Daniel Mike Garcia John D. Whitlock Macaulay & Jamerson Independent Insurance Agents George Mason University* NFIB of Virginia Robert T. Hall, Jr $750 Northern Virginia Building Luck Stone Corporation William Hopkins AAA Tidewater Virginia* Industry Association Reed Smith Charles James Alliance Group* Sanofi Virginia Association of Counties Jo-Kell Inc Margaret Edds* Shentel Virginia Cable Telecom Robert P. Kegley Hefty Wiley & Gore* The Vectre Corporation Association Bobbie Kilberg Anna Marie Hicks & Harry Universal Corporation Woody Funeral Home Mary Lynn & Nick Kotz Lehman* Virginia Association of Nurse Cheryl P. McLeskey Robert M. Johnson Anesthetists $1,200 McShin Foundation Kemper Consulting* Virginia Farm Bureau Ric Arenstein* Medical Society of Virginia Gordon Leggett Virginia League of Conservation Commonwealth Connections* Thomas Meehan Sue Ann Messmer Voters Thomas J. Cosgrove* Linda & Stephen Nash Lawrence Roberts Virginia Society of CPAs Nicole A. Riley* Northern Virginia Technology Andrew & Virginia Tilton* Virginia Tech Transportation Council Virginia Maritime Association* Institute $1,000 Susan & Lewis F. Payne Jr. Virginia Transportation $600 Nicholas Perrins Construction Alliance The Associated Press Del. Kenneth R. Plum Atlantic