A fall gathering in the Rockies

In September, members of the HCN staff and board gathered in Estes Park, Colorado, to reconnect and reset after another year of hard work. The aspen leaves were going gold on the hillsides, elk lumbered about the grounds, and there was even a dusting of snow up high one morning. The gathering started with the board’s fall business meeting, where we heard from the management team about our 2027 budget. We’re projecting a spending increase from roughly $4.3 million this year to a little over $4.4 million next. The most significant bumps will come in payroll, taxes and benefits, which make up 58% of our expenses for the year, and the budget for freelance writers and photographers, which constitutes another 14% of our annual spending. We’ll pay for all of this with a combination of donations, grants and “earned revenue,” including subscriptions and ad sales. Mia Axon, our acting director of philanthropy, noted that HCN’s financial strength springs from the generosity of our readers.

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