“Rubryka” launched Patreon to support volunteers and activists in Ukraine: how this solution works

You can now support the solutions media outlet "Rubryka" on the crowdfunding platform Patreon

The publication begins fundraising and community building on the crowdfunding platform Patreon and offers several membership tiers — from $5 to $500. Patrons of "Rubryka" will receive various bonuses, access to unique content and the opportunity to communicate with the editors.

Half of the collected donations will be redirected to humanitarian initiatives, discussed in the English-language podcast "Solutions from Ukraine"; the other half will be used to support the publication and the creation of new stories by "Rubryka's" team.

"We have been fundraising since the first days of the full-scale war. Because, of course, advertising revenues immediately fell. So we have been writing grant applications and also received some small donations. Still, we have not launched a crowdfunding campaign so far because we understand the challenging circumstances Ukrainians find themselves in. Besides, first and foremost, donations of Ukrainians are needed in the Armed Forces. 

Meanwhile, one of our information front's directions became our media work in English. We felt that this was precisely the field where we could work. That's why with Patreon, we will aim to attract the community from abroad. The day before, we also launched a new format of English-language podcasts, in which we tell the stories of the solutions by Ukrainians during the war and call to support Ukraine. That is why the editorial board decided that we will give half of the donations to the initiatives we talk about," says the editor-in-chief of "Rubryka" Anastasia Rudenko.

Previously, "Rubryka" talked about how the created pieces helped their central figures get the support they needed – stories of impact.

For example, "Rubryka" published the story of a pensioner who evacuated twenty animals from Severodonetsk. After the publication, the woman said she received a lot of money transfers 'for marigolds', thanks to which she fulfilled her dream – the one she talked about during the interview.

After "Rubryka's" report from Northern Saltivka (Kharkiv), readers started sending donations to help one of the people we talked to. Now his canaries are provided with fodder for many months, and the man himself will finally be able not to pick grass for them under shellings.

These small but important stories show that a community of readers can help solve the problems described by journalists.

Charitable contributions from readers will also help the editors protect the team from layoffs and make it possible to do more reportage (including from the front line) and experiment with formats.

The day before "Rubryka" announced the launch of the first English-language podcast 'Solutions from Ukraine'.

"Rubryka" is a Ukrainian online media that develops solutions journalism. In this approach, our team focuses not so much on the problem but on possible options for its solution using the examples of people, NGOs, initiatives, and communities applying those solutions. Follow the link to find out how solutions journalism works in times of war.