Freedom of the Press Foundation will soon be launching our next crowd-funding campaign. In the past, we've only selected four recipients for each round, but for this campaign, a much wider range of groups will have a chance to participate.
The aim is to get SecureDrop installed in as many newsrooms as possible. The revelations of digital surveillance over the last year have shown that journalists need to use technology and encryption to protect their sources from the moment they start speaking with them. The goal of SecureDrop is to create a free and open-source way for sources to contact journalists that's both as secure as possible and easy to use.
The problem is that many independent journalists and small news organizations that would like to install SecureDrop cannot afford the hardware that it runs on, which can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $3,000 if bought off-the-shelf. Therefore, with our next campaign, we will crowd-fund $3,000 each for in-need independent journalism organizations who want to obtain SecureDrop but are struggling to cover all of the associated costs.
We'll raise funds for four journalism organizations at a time. When all four have exceeded the goal, we will switch in four new organizations. Ultimately we hope to help 20-24 organizations by the end of the year. We also hope to assist as many organizations with the installation process as possible.
Those who would like to be considered for inclusion should fill out a form which we've created. If you're looking to get SecureDrop yet can't fit it within your budget, you can start by clicking on the button below. International news organizations and independent journalists covering unique or underreported beats are encouraged to apply.
