Editorial and Ethics Policy

Reasons to Be Cheerful is a non-partisan editorial venture of the Arbutus Foundation, a 501(c)3 tax exempt organization delivering projects that inspire and educate in surprising ways.

At Reasons to Be Cheerful, we believe in transparency and editorial independence. This project, like all the projects of Arbutus, receives financial support from individual donors and foundations. We comply with all government regulations that not-for-profit organizations must adhere to in order to remain in good standing with the public. That includes telling you about how to contribute and what our funding supports.  

We know that potential conflicts of interest can arise when rigorous journalism meets support from donations. Philanthropy, the issues that our work spotlights, and the people we work with, including other journalists and other publications, sometimes have diverging interests. At all times, we remain committed to the highest standards in journalism. We won’t change content based on where our funding comes from. 

Attributions

When quoting sources on the record, we print the full name of a source, and as much information as needed to identify them and explain why they are credible. In addition, all information gathered from previously published material must be attributed to those sources, with a link back to the original printed source material when possible.

Corrections

We strive for accuracy in all of our reporting. In the event a story requires a correction, we will note the date and nature of the change at the bottom of the article. If you believe something in one of our stories is inaccurate, please email us at [email protected] with “Correction” in the subject line.

Transparency and Conflicts of Interest

As a nonprofit publication, Reasons to be Cheerful is committed to transparency in our funding. Accepting financial support does not mean we endorse donors or their products, services or opinions. We avoid funding that would present a conflict of interest, and we do not give supporters the rights to assign, review or edit content. For information about our sources of funding, you can view our most recent completed 990 Form here.

Contributions

Reasons to Be Cheerful falls under the umbrella of the Arbutus Foundation, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization.  That means that your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. When you donate through our website, you will receive confirmation that you can claim a donation as a deduction on your U.S. taxes via email and that will be your donation receipt as your official record.

If you wish to discuss this policy and/or your contribution, please reach out to [email protected].