I admit I chafed when I first heard the idea: Put sponsored content on your site as a way to diversify your revenue stream.

I had seen it done before by other news organizations, often not clearly labeled, thus posing as legitimate news. I did not like it at all.

But at a recent American Journalism Project conference, I talked to nonprofit journalism colleagues who told me to get over my reservations because if done correctly and ethically, it is just like taking an ad and can yield significant revenue. It's done all across our industry now.

The nonprofit news business is a challenge. It's hard to get people, even those who read you every day, to give some of their hard-earned money. I am so thankful to the thousands of donors who support The Indy, and I hope we get more. But that's only one part of our revenue stream.

To ensure long-term sustainability, we need as many revenue sources as possible: Donations, grants, events and, yes, sponsored content. Journalism is not free, and I want to keep paying my staff well for many, many years to come.

So beginning now, The Indy will take sponsored content, if it meets our standards. What are those standards? Glad you asked. They are here. Sponsored content will be clearly labeled and obviously distinct from our regular content.

If you are interested in placing sponsored content on our site, contact us at [email protected]  And for our loyal readers, thanks for your partnership, and for those who also donate, thank you for helping us remain in business. If you have any comments about our policy, I am always open to feedback about that — or anything else. You can find me at [email protected].