About The Current

Highlands Current Inc. is a nonprofit corporation in New York state that publishes The Highlands Current weekly newspaper and its digital version at highlandscurrent.org. It was founded in 2010 (as Philipstown.Info), to provide balanced reporting of the news and events of the Hudson Valley communities in the town of Philipstown in Putnam County: Cold Spring, Garrison, Nelsonville, North Highlands and Continental Village. In 2015, The Current began covering the City of Beacon in Dutchess County.

Mission

Our mission is to be a trusted independent and nonpartisan source of information on topics of importance to our Hudson Highlands communities. Through both our print edition, The Highlands Current, and our website, HighlandsCurrent.org, we seek to provide a vital forum for wide-ranging views and to reflect the diverse interests, concerns and experiences of our readers.

Support

As a nonprofit that provides quality journalism free to our community, The Current relies on the commitment of local advertisers and support from our readers. In 2019, we launched a membership program that is now the primary means of support for our newspaper and website. We are grateful to our growing list of members for their recognition of the important role journalism plays in our community and in our democratic society. Our corporation has tax-exempt status as a federal 501(c)(3) enterprise, and donations are tax-deductible to the extent provided by law.

Equity and Inclusion

The Highlands Current aims to reflect the diversity of the communities it serves in its staff and contributors, its editorial choices and priorities.

How We Report

Our best practices, including our verification and correction policies, can be accessed here.

History

The website, Philipstown.Info, was launched in July 2010 by Philipstown resident Gordon Stewart (his Founder’s Greeting is below) and expanded in 2012 to include a print edition, The Paper.

The Founder’s Greeting (July 4, 2010)

Hi and welcome to Philipstown.info, whose simple purpose is to live up to our name. We hope you’ll find what you want to know about things great and small in our wonderful town, whenever you need to know. Our hamlets and surrounds have so many breaking stories, ongoing issues, school events and concerns, things to do, places to go, stuff to find, pleasures to eat, people to see and hear — we almost feel like escaping to NYC for the quiet! Though why, when we inhabit one of the world’s most breath-giving peaceable kingdoms?

But simple does not equal easy. Information may want to be free, but only people can free it. Our editor/writers welcome learning from you. They are listed under Contact, so please do. And if you’d like to contribute, we’re open. If there’s something Philipstown and beyond needs to know, let everyone in on it.

One thing we will not impose are political views. No editorials. The only opinion pieces in Philipstown.info will be yours. As to our news policy, we believe it has never been stated better than this: without fear or favor.

We’re told every day that we all live in the information age, as though it were the secret destination of the Yellow Submarine all along. Maybe, maybe not. It’s just good to have you with all our friends aboard Philipstown.info.

Gordon Stewart
Publisher (2010-2014)

In 2014, Stewart recruited a board of directors to create a community-supported nonprofit corporation, and he relinquished his role as publisher to the new board two months before his death in November. In May 2015, Philipstown.Info, Inc., became a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News, a national organization of public-interest newsrooms.

In April 2016, to reflect broadening coverage of Beacon and other neighboring towns, the newspaper was renamed The Highlands Current and the website, HighlandsCurrent.org. The corporation became Highlands Current Inc.

Nonprofit Status

In October 2015, the Internal Revenue Service confirmed the status of Philipstown.Info, Inc., as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization as described under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. The organization is therefore eligible to receive contributions that are tax-deductible to the donor. A copy of the IRS Letter of Determination is available here. The corporation is registered with the Charities Bureau in the Office of the New York State Attorney General and actively solicits contributions only within New York state. Copies of our federal 990 tax returns (Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax) are below:

A copy of our most recently filed financial report is available from the New York State Attorney General’s Charities Registry, by contacting the New York State Attorney General, Charities Bureau, 28 Liberty St., New York, NY 10005, or by calling 212-416-8401.

Board of Directors

Highlands Current Inc. is run by a volunteer board of directors.

Editorial Independence

Highlands Current Inc. subscribes to the policy set forth by the Institute for Nonprofit News.

Our organization retains full authority over editorial content to protect the best journalistic and business interests of our organization. We will maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute implied or actual endorsement of donors or their products, services or opinions.

We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for the general support of our activities, but our news judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support.

Our organization also may consider donations to support the coverage of particular topics, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. We will cede no right of review or influence of editorial content, nor of unauthorized distribution of editorial content.

Our organization will make public all donors who give a total of $1,000 or more. We will accept anonymous donations for general support only if it is clear that sufficient safeguards have been put into place that the expenditure of that donation is made independently by our organization and in compliance with INN’s Membership Standards.

Fundraising Policy

Fundraising for Highlands Current Inc. is focused on local community support and grants from foundations interested in sustainable community journalism. The funds raised go beyond the organization’s advertising revenue to help to support the operations of the organization’s website and print edition.

Our policy is open to contributions of cash, non-cash and in-kind donations without prejudice. We are open to all donations from individuals or groups who support our vision, mission and values. Donations are acknowledged in writing. We do not disclose any individual information other than the names of persons or groups making the donations.

Our fundraising to the local community takes the form of:

Directed campaigns (mail, email, personal calls and written proposals/requests) seeking donations from individuals and groups several times a year.
Events in the community, such as panel discussions on local topics of interest.
Fundraising requests on the website and in the print edition.

In our solicitations to foundations, multi-year support will be sought and encouraged. These efforts could be for ongoing operations support or for special projects important to the local community and consistent with the donor’s criteria for giving.

All fundraising efforts are reviewed quarterly by the board of directors. Fundraising campaigns and grant requests are planned by the development committee of the board, with support from other volunteers.