Dear subscriber,

The year 2020 was brutal – and unfair.

More than 300,000 Americans died of COVID-19. Millions were diagnosed with the disease — some of those still suffering long-term effects.

Tens of millions have lost their jobs, and millions have been pushed into poverty.

Throughout this dark period, readers came to our website in record numbers to get the facts on a torrent of misinformation on divisive issues that piled up as 2020 wore on.

The year started with the Senate impeachment trial and acquittal, and the ongoing race for the Democratic presidential nomination – which included more than two dozen candidates.

It was soon hijacked by a pandemic and tensions were further inflamed by George Floyd’s death in police custody and the subsequent nationwide protests.

And, finally, it ended with a general election that unleashed an unprecedented level of misinformation about election fraud and false claims of a “rigged” election.

With your help, we were able to provide the facts on all these issues and more.

We created “A Guide to our Coronavirus Coverage” with a list of top stories, videos and expert resources.

We beefed up our coverage of social media misinformation, producing more stories than ever in a year that demanded it.

We created “Swing State Watch” to track false and misleading political messages in key states that would determine the outcome of the presidential election.

We produced “Players Guide 2020,” which features profiles on outside special interest groups that spend tens and even hundreds of millions of dollars to influence elections.

Although we receive funds from foundations and payments from Facebook for our social media work, the fact is it takes more than that to keep FactCheck.org operating. It takes your help.

We don’t accept advertising. We don’t accept donations from labor unions, corporations or anyone active in politics. We disclose the names and hometowns of donors who contribute $1,000 or more. We take all of these steps to ensure our independence and provide transparency – but they also restrict our revenue sources.

We started to accept individual donations in 2010, and we have raised more than $1.1 million since then – mostly in small donations of no more than $25. That support has helped us extend the life of FactCheck.org, which has been operating now for 17 years.

So please consider a donation to FactCheck.org.

Credit card donations may be made through our “Donate” page, which is maintained by the University of Pennsylvania. If you prefer to give by check, send to: FactCheck.org, Annenberg Public Policy Center, 202 S. 36th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104-3806. Checks can be made payable to “The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania” with a note in the memo field indicating the donation is for FactCheck.org.

FactCheck.org is a project of the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center. The University of Pennsylvania is a 501(c)(3) organization, and your contribution is deductible from U.S. federal income taxes to the full extent allowed by law.

Thank you for all of your support. Have a happy holiday, and a safe and healthy new year.

Sincerely,

Eugene Kiely
Director, FactCheck.org