Blog Money: How to get it

I recently read a few articles on how certain small businesses or nonprofits establish a system of sustainment financially. Although I do not like the system, they are sustained through asking for donations in order to keep their businesses alive. Brave New Films and nonprofits such as the Voice of San Diego, MinnPost and the Washington Independent are examples of media outlets that require funding help through their consumers.

While it is one thing to ask for donations for companies that can prove they are making a difference with the content that they are producing, it can be difficult for other media outlets that might not be breaking down any barriers with the content they are running. I run a sports fashion blog that currently has no revenue stream, Sports in Suede, and these articles stood out to me, because they are examples of success that started out at small levels. I just fear that I do not have the ability to do the same thing given the content that I am producing.

I am not running groundbreaking stories on hardship or anything that the aforementioned sources would run, I am running stories on what athletes are wearing and my opinion on it. It is a satirical blog, which is difficult to fund, unless the readers are greatly entertained. The current issue with my blog is that it does not have much of a reach. I have friends sending me material on what I should post, but I do not know of any consistent readers on the site. 

Reading these articles have made me wonder if I should ask for donations if I establish a large enough readership? More money would allow me to do a multitude of things in order provide a greater range of content on the site. Whether or not I have enough confidence in my material to go through with this venture is the only question left, but clearly Brave New Films and those nonprofit outlets believed in their content enough to take it to the next level.