Our Funding Source
Funded by neighbors,
for neighbors.
SeekIdaho.com is free to read because Treasure Valley businesses invest in their community through us. Instead of paywalls or pop-ups, we offer them something better — a graceful, beautifully designed way to land on real doorsteps. That's how every story you read here gets paid for.
Reader-free, business-funded· 100% Treasure Valley· Independent, locally owned
The model, in plain English
A small, virtuous loop.
We don't take ad networks. We don't sell data. We don't bury you in pop-ups. The economics are simple — and they stay in the valley.
- Step 1
We tell the stories
Every spotlight, neighborhood guide, and maker profile on SeekIdaho.com is researched, written, and photographed by a small Boise team — and given away free to anyone who reads it.
- Step 2
Local businesses chip in
Instead of running banner ads or selling subscriptions, we offer Treasure Valley businesses a beautifully crafted way to land on real doorsteps. Their support is what funds the journalism.
- Step 3
The community grows
Readers discover the makers next door. Businesses meet customers in their own neighborhood. Money raised in the valley stays in the valley — and the storytelling keeps going.
The vehicle
A 9×12 postcard, every month.
Our funding doesn't come from clickbait or sponsored posts dressed up as journalism. It comes from a single oversized 9"×12" postcard — printed on heavy 16pt glossy stock, hand-curated, and mailed once a month to every home on the route across all ten Treasure Valley communities we serve.
Each postcard carries a small number of local sponsor placements. Those sponsorships are how this entire publication keeps the lights on — and how the writing stays free for everyone.
Where the money goes
Reinvested into the valley.
Every dollar a sponsor contributes is poured back into the work of telling the Treasure Valley's story.
- Original local journalism
- Reporters, photographers, and time on the ground in neighborhoods big and small.
- A free public archive
- Stories stay online forever — searchable, shareable, no login required.
- Community calendar
- Curating events, festivals, and small gatherings the algorithm would never surface.
- Maker spotlights
- Free profiles for craftspeople, farmers, and small operators who can't afford a marketing team.
Our principles
The rules we won't bend.
A few promises that shape every decision we make about how this publication is funded.
- No paywalls. No subscriber tiers. Our writing stays free for everyone.
- No data harvesting. We don't sell reader information — ever.
- No race to the bottom. We design every mailer to look like something you'd save, not toss.
- Local-only sponsors. Every business in the mailer lives and works in the Treasure Valley.
- Every mailer is heavy 16pt glossy stock — a piece worthy of the kitchen counter.
- Group rates keep it accessible to small shops, not just chains.
Two ways to support
Choose the level that fits your shop.
Whether you're a one-person studio or a full storefront, there's a way to underwrite the work and reach your neighbors at the same time.
Community Sponsor
Shared mailer · accessible entry
Share a single beautifully crafted mailer with a small group of non-competing local businesses. Same prime real estate, same homes — at a price that works for independent shops.
- From $349 per drop
- Reaches 5,000–20,000 homes
- Curated alongside other local makers
- Limited spots per neighborhood
Featured Sponsor
Solo mailer · your moment
The whole mailer — your brand, your message, your moment in the neighborhood. Ideal for grand openings, seasonal launches, and anyone whose story deserves the full spread.
- From $899 per drop
- Choose your city and routes
- Custom design, your timeline
- Dedicated landing page included
The neighborhoods we fund storytelling in
Where your support lands.
Every city below is one we cover editorially and one our sponsors help fund. Pick a place to support and we'll route your mailer there.
Stand behind the work
Help us keep the valley's stories free.
If your business is rooted in the Treasure Valley, you can be the reason the next neighborhood profile, maker spotlight, or community calendar gets made. Tell us a little about your shop — we'll find the right way to bring you in.
Become a sponsorOr call us directly · 208-809-8530