{{short description|Online news outlet based in Denver, Colorado, US}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} {{Infobox newspaper | name = The Colorado Sun | logo = The Colorado Sun Logo.png | logo_size = 200px | editor = Dana Coffield | headquarters = 2101 Arapahoe Street<br />Third Floor<br />[[Denver, Colorado|Denver]], [[Colorado|CO]] 80205 | type = Digital daily [[newspaper]] | format = On-line | founded = 2018 | language = English | publishing_city = [[Denver]] | publishing_country = [[United States]] | owners = Founding journalists<ref>{{cite journal |url= https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/colorado-sun-denver-post-civil.php |title=''The Colorado Sun'' pits Civil-backed startup against ''The Denver Post'' |last=Hutchins |first=Corey |journal=[[Columbia Journalism Review]] |date=July 18, 2018 |access-date=January 24, 2019 |quote=Founding staff members own the company, an [[Limited-liability corporation|LLC]].}}</ref> | website = {{URL|coloradosun.com}} }} '''''The Colorado Sun''''' is an [[Online newspaper|online news]] outlet based in [[Denver, Colorado]]. It launched on September 10, 2018, to provide long-form, in-depth coverage of news from all around Colorado.<ref name="about us">{{cite web |url= https://coloradosun.com/about-us/ |title=About Us |author=<!--Not stated.--> |work=The Colorado Sun |access-date=January 24, 2019 |quote=''The Colorado Sun'' is a journalist-owned news outlet based in Denver but which strives to cover all of Colorado so that our state – our community – can better understand itself.}}</ref> It was started with two years of funding from blockchain venture capitalists at Civil and from a [[Kickstarter]] campaign.<ref name="KS">{{cite web |url= https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/873054240/the-colorado-sun |title=Kickstarter: ''The Colorado Sun'' |author=<!--Not stated.--> |work=[[Kickstarter]] |access-date=January 24, 2019}}</ref> The operation is now funded by reader support, through memberships, and from sponsorship and grant revenue. The Sun is an associate member of the [[Associated Press]].<ref>{{cite web |title=The Colorado Sun, one year after the 'Denver rebellion' |url=https://www.cjr.org/united_states_project/colorado-sun-anniversary-civil.php |access-date=6 April 2021 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |quote=It is also an associate member of The Associated Press, which means it publishes AP content, but also provides news to the AP.}}</ref>
==History== Ten former employees of ''[[The Denver Post]]'' started ''The Colorado Sun''<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2018-06-18|title=Here comes the Colorado Sun|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK4rE4dxIlc|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=|website=Next 9NEWS YouTube channel}}</ref> in response to multiple layoffs<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/16/denver-post-reporters-vs-vulture-capitalist-hedge-fund-alden.html |title=As hedge funds overtake media, the Denver Post leads a vocal revolt against 'vulture capitalists' |first=Chloe |last=Aiello |work=[[CNBC]] |date=June 16, 2018 |access-date=January 24, 2019 |quote=The Post has cut its staff about 70 percent since Alden and its founder Randall Smith took control in 2011, according to data from the Denver Newspaper Guild.}}</ref> following acquisition of the Post by the hedge fund, [[Alden Global Capital]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.cpr.org/news/story/the-colorado-sun-to-launch-with-former-denver-post-a-team-stars-and-tech-cash |title=''The Colorado Sun'' to Launch with Former ''Denver Post'' 'A-Team' Stars and Tech Cash |first=Ben |last=Markus |date=June 17, 2018 |work=CPR.org |publisher=[[Colorado Public Radio]] |access-date=January 24, 2019}}</ref> None of the founders of The Sun were laid off from The Post. They left on their own volition.
''The Colorado Sun'' was initially started with a combination of financial and technical support from Civil,<ref>{{cite web |url= https://civil.co/ |title=A community-owned journalism network based on transparency and trust |author=<!--Not stated.--> |work=Civil.co |access-date=January 24, 2019}}</ref> a [[blockchain]] platform for news organizations to independently found and run newsrooms,<ref>{{cite web |url= https://blog.joincivil.com/what-is-civil-95b7e5e09e62 |title=What is Civil |first=Matt |last=Coolidge |work=Civil.co |date=December 1, 2017 |access-date=January 24, 2019}}</ref> and from a [[Kickstarter]] campaign that more than doubled its initial goals.<ref name="KS" /> This combination provided ''The Colorado Sun'' with two years of initial funding, and a subsequent grant from Wend Ventures in late 2018 provided two years of funding for educational reporting.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://coloradosun.com/2018/11/02/colorado-sun-hiring-education/ |title=Editor's note: ''The Colorado Sun'' is growing — with an eye on education |first=Larry |last=Ryckman |work=The Colorado Sun |date=November 2, 2018 |access-date=January 24, 2019}}</ref>
The newspaper accepts advertising, and is supported through a combination of memberships, sponsorships, grants and donations.
In May 2021, ''The Colorado Sun'' and nonprofit organization [[The National Trust for Local News]] became joint owners of 24 local newspapers after acquiring them from the previous owners, ''Colorado Community Media''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Oravetz|first=Janet|date=May 3, 2021|title=The Colorado Sun is now part owner of 2 dozen community newspapers|url=https://www.9news.com/article/money/business/colorado-sun-buys-community-papers/73-367c169d-b0f1-4275-b143-338fff1ceb2e|access-date=2021-10-28|website=[[KUSA-TV]]|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Folkenflik|first=David|date=2021-05-03|title=In Denver, Civic-Minded 'Colorado Sun' Acquires Suburban Newspaper Chain|language=en|work=NPR|url=https://www.npr.org/2021/05/03/993059699/in-denver-civic-minded-colorado-sun-acquires-suburban-newspaper-chain|access-date=2021-10-28}}</ref> In November 2023, ''The Colorado Sun'' announced it would donate its ownership shares of those papers to The Trust because it was in the process of converting from a for-profit public benefit corporation to a nonprofit.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-03 |title=The Colorado Sun donates its share of 24 suburban papers and urges they go nonprofit |url=https://dankennedy.net/2023/11/03/the-colorado-sun-donates-its-share-of-24-suburban-papers-and-urges-they-go-nonprofit/ |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=Media Nation |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-11-01 |title=Colorado Sun donates shares in Colorado weeklies to the National Trust for Local News |url=http://coloradosun.com/2023/11/01/colorado-sun-community-media-donates-shares/ |access-date=2023-11-04 |website=The Colorado Sun |language=en-US}}</ref>
In November 2023, The Sun became an employee-directed nonprofit.<ref>{{Cite web |title=How The Colorado Sun is funded |url=http://coloradosun.com/how-the-sun-is-funded/ |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=The Colorado Sun |language=en-US |quote=As of Nov. 15, 2023, The Colorado Sun is a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Prior, we were a public benefit corporation, which meant we were a for-profit company incorporated with a mission. Our mission remains unchanged: To provide our community with quality, nonpartisan journalism — and no paywall.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sun |first=The Colorado |date=2023-12-05 |title=It’s official: The Colorado Sun is a nonprofit |url=http://coloradosun.com/2023/12/05/colorado-sun-nonprofit/ |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=The Colorado Sun |language=en-US}}</ref>
The Colorado Sun's editor is Dana Coffield. Larry Ryckman is publisher. Jesse Paul is the political editor. David Krause and Lance Benzel are team editors.
==Newsletters== ''The Colorado Sun'' generates several newsletters: * '''''The Sunriser''''': five-day-a-week newsletter with Colorado headline news * '''''The Unaffiliated''''': weekly newsletter covering Colorado politics * '''''The Outsider''''': weekly newsletter covering Colorado outdoor recreation * '''''The Temperature''''': weekly newsletter covering Colorado health and climate news * '''''Colorado Sunday''''': weekly newsletter covering Colorado news and arts and culture * '''''Mike Littwin''''': twice-weekly newsletter with commentary on Colorado politics
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://coloradosun.com/ The Colorado Sun] * [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgkeiaMrDM4yqxIRLY82rEw Colorado Sun YouTube channel]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Colorado Sun}} [[Category:American news websites]] [[Category:Newspapers published in Colorado]] [[Category:Nonprofit newspapers published in the United States]] [[Category:Daily newspapers published in the United States]] [[Category:Non-profit organizations based in Colorado]] [[Category:Blockchain entities]]