The Commons
The Commons is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit weekly newspaper (published 51 times per year) serving Brattleboro and four counties in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, distributed via 250 free drop sites, email, and paid mail, alongside sister publication Deerfield Valley News and the Media Mentoring Project.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersBrattleboro, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Commons does
The Commons is a weekly independent nonprofit newspaper published by Vermont Independent Media, Inc. (VIM), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 20-2140604) headquartered in Brattleboro, Vermont. It serves residents of Windham County and Windsor County in Vermont, Cheshire County in New Hampshire, and Franklin County in Massachusetts, with physical distribution through 250 drop sites and complementary free email and paid mail delivery. The newspaper is published on Wednesdays 51 times per year under Editor-in-Chief Jeff Potter and News Editor Randolph T. Holhut, covering local news, arts, town and village affairs, sports, milestones, and an open community-contributed 'Voices' section.
The product portfolio centers on The Commons newspaper, its sister publication the Deerfield Valley News (serving Wilmington and surrounding towns), and the Media Mentoring Project, an educational arm delivering media literacy training, school programs, and writing workshops. Distribution is multichannel: free at physical drop sites, $125/year suggested donation for mailed home delivery, free email delivery, and globally accessible PDF digital editions via commonsnews.org. The organization adheres to the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics and Institute for Nonprofit News financial transparency standards.
Revenue is generated through three streams: tax-deductible reader donations, advertising from local businesses and organizations, and grants from charitable foundations (including Press Forward in October 2024). VIM is governed by a Board of Directors led by President Steve Mundahl, with leadership drawn from local nonprofit, publishing, health policy, and workforce development backgrounds. No private equity, venture capital, or external investment ownership is indicated; the organization operates as a community-supported nonprofit.
The Commons firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Commons
- Legal name
- Vermont Independent Media, Inc.
- Website
- https://commonsnews.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Commons is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit weekly newspaper (published 51 times per year) serving Brattleboro and four counties in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts, distributed via 250 free drop sites, email, and paid mail, alongside sister publication Deerfield Valley News and the Media Mentoring Project.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Commons industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Newspaper
- NAICS
- Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press (MPAJADAH), Civic, Citizenship & Community Engagement Education (EDAAAEAI)
Keywords
Where The Commons is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brattleboro
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Commons business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Reader Donations: Tax-deductible donations from readers supporting independent journalism
- Advertising: Advertising support from local businesses and organizations
- Foundation Grants: Support from charitable foundations
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free distribution at drop sites |
| Subscription | Annual | Mailed delivery |
| Freemium | Others | Email delivery |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
The Commons product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Commons is a weekly independent nonprofit newspaper published on Wednesdays 51 times per year, providing local news, arts, voices/opinion, town and village coverage, milestones, and sports for Brattleboro and Windham County, Vermont, and adjacent communities. It is complemented by the sister publication Deerfield Valley News, the Media Mentoring Project (educational media literacy programming), and free digital PDF editions accessed online. The newspaper is free at 250 drop sites, with paid mail delivery and free email delivery options.
Product overview
The Commons is a weekly independent nonprofit newspaper published by Vermont Independent Media, offering a unified local news product delivered across multiple channels. The core offering is The Commons newspaper (published 51 times yearly), complemented by its sister publication Deerfield Valley News. Educational programming is provided through the Media Mentoring Project, while digital access is enabled through online article delivery and archived digital PDF editions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Commons Newspaper Weekly independent nonprofit newspaper serving Brattleboro and Windham County, Vermont, published on Wednesdays 51 times a year. Features local news, arts, voices/opinion, town and village coverage, milestones, and sports.
- Deerfield Valley News
Companies that use The Commons
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Commons technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Commons partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Deerfield Valley NewscoreSister newspaper also published by Vermont Independent Media, Inc., serving the Deerfield Valley area in Wilmington and surrounding towns
- Media Mentoring ProjectcoreEducational arm of Vermont Independent Media that supports media literacy and civic engagement through public programs, school initiatives, and workshops
- Society of Professional JournalistsminorAdheres to the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics for editorial standards
- Institute for Nonprofit NewsminorAdheres to INN's standards for financial transparency and editorial independence
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Commons competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- VTDigger: Vermont's flagship nonprofit digital news outlet and fellow Institute for Nonprofit News member; directly comparable as a 501(c)(3) statewide news organization covering Vermont civic and policy beats with reader/donor/foundation funding.
- Seven Days: Independently owned Vermont alternative weekly covering arts, news, and civic life, funded through ads and donations. Highly comparable weekly-news format and Vermont audience overlap with The Commons.
- Brattleboro Reformer: Brattleboro's legacy daily/print paper covering the same Windham County market; directly comparable as a local news competitor serving the same geographic audience.
- The Keene Sentinel: Regional daily paper serving Cheshire County, NH — one of The Commons' named distribution counties — making it a directly comparable regional-news peer serving overlapping New England towns.
Regional players
- The Daily Hampshire Gazette: Family-owned regional daily covering western Massachusetts including Franklin County — a market The Commons explicitly distributes into — comparable in audience scope and weekly/community-news orientation.
- The Berkshire Eagle: Western Massachusetts regional daily covering communities near the Commons' Franklin County readership; comparable as a regional news outlet serving small-city and rural New England audiences.
Broad incumbents
- NHPR (New Hampshire Public Radio): Member-supported public radio network serving New Hampshire including Cheshire County, a market The Commons distributes into; comparable as a public-interest news outlet funded by donations and grants.
- Vermont Public (VPR): Vermont's public radio/TV network (PBS/NPR-style) funded through memberships and grants; comparable as a broader nonprofit broadcaster serving the same Vermont audience with civic content.
Others
- Open Valleys / The Local News Lab-type nonprofit newsrooms: Local News Works is a U.S. nonprofit-news trade/association-type org that supports news deserts; adjacent comparator as ecosystem support for local nonprofit newsrooms like The Commons.
- Institute for Nonprofit News: The standards body to which The Commons adheres; adjacent comparator as the network/peer community of hundreds of nonprofit news outlets with which The Commons regularly benchmarks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Commons social profiles
Digital presenceThe Commons financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Commons leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
The Commons subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
The Commons funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Commons M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Commons
What does The Commons do?
The Commons is a weekly independent nonprofit newspaper published on Wednesdays 51 times per year, providing local news, arts, voices/opinion, town and village coverage, milestones, and sports for Brattleboro and Windham County, Vermont, and adjacent communities. It is complemented by the sister publication Deerfield Valley News, the Media Mentoring Project (educational media literacy programming), and free digital PDF editions accessed online. The newspaper is free at 250 drop sites, with paid mail delivery and free email delivery options.
Is The Commons a public or private company?
The Commons is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Commons founded?
The Commons was founded in 2005. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Commons based?
The Commons is headquartered in Brattleboro, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Commons make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Reader Donations are the primary driver. The others are advertising and foundation Grants.
Who are The Commons's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are VTDigger, Seven Days, Brattleboro Reformer and The Keene Sentinel. Regional players are The Daily Hampshire Gazette and The Berkshire Eagle. Broad incumbents are NHPR (New Hampshire Public Radio) and Vermont Public (VPR). Others are Open Valleys / The Local News Lab-type nonprofit newsrooms and Institute for Nonprofit News.
Does The Commons have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Commons.
What industry is The Commons in?
The Commons's product category is Community Newspaper. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAB, Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital), with a secondary code of MPAJADAH, Alternative/Independent Newsweeklies & Opinion Press. Its NAICS code is 813 and its SIC code is 2711.