Revenue Streams & Finance

Bristol Cable’s yearly budget is £375,000. The revenue comes from three different streams. The budget is made up of membership contributions (35%), grants (60%) and non-corporate advertising (5%).

The membership program of the Bristol Cable is tied to the organisation as a cooperation itself, so everyone becoming a supporting member becomes a shareholder and gets an actual voting right at the cooperation. People can join the Bristol Cable from 1 £ upwards, to make sure no one is excluded for financial reasons. Today, in 2024 the Cable has around 2,500 paying members.

Grants account for around 60% of the budget. The largest donor in the past was the Luminate Foundation (previously Omidyar Network). Between 2018 and 2023, Luminate supported the Cable with around £725,000 in core funding. Other big funders were the Reva & David Logan Foundation and the European Journalism Centre. Fundraising decisions at the Bristol Cable are made upon an Ethical Fundraising Policy that was created together with members.

Non-corporate advertising only makes up for a small amount of the yearly budget. Most of the advertising is placed in the quarterly print edition of the Cable, which is distributed for free around the city. Who can and cannot advertise is defined in an Ethical Advertising Policy, that was created with members. This policy states that only adverts will be published that

• promote social and cultural events and activities that may be of interest to its general readership;

• products and services that are of direct benefit to local citizens and the city’s economy and environment;

• such other adverts as are considered to be in line with the Cable’s ethical stance, especially those from independent local businesses and third sector organisations.