“I have been here a long time and experienced many changes. Throughout, Harvard Magazine reported truthfully, sometimes uncomfortably, in depth, and always fully conscious of the intellectual mission of the institution. The Magazine is not a house organ. It is an important independent voice.” 
“I can say candidly that Harvard Magazine has not hesitated to report controversy, or even disruption, faithfully, but it has done so in a way that invariably promotes the actual understanding of situations, and fosters what Harvard needs and wants: illumination, stimulating commentary, reflection, and intelligent response.” 
“Harvard Magazine offers alumni as independent and as objective a view of their University as any alumni magazine in America. Although it sometimes made me uncomfortable when I sat in Massachusetts Hall, I soon understood that its honesty in reporting controversy and dissent was much in keeping with the essential spirit of Harvard. Indeed, the candor it displays is one of the vital characteristics that keeps the University from falling into a fatal complacency.” 
Financial Update
Harvard Magazine is a hybrid entity, generating revenue through advertising sales, from readers’ voluntary contributions (in place of magazine subscription sales), and support from the University.
The chart above shows our progress toward acquiring the resources necessary to fund our program for fiscal year 2011 (July 2010 through June 2011). As shown, we have secured funding from the University (the president’s office) for this fiscal year. Partnerships with companies seeking to advertise in the magazine and on our website are very dependent on the state of the economy. Therefore, donations from alumni in response to our annual campaign are critical to our ability to accomplish our goals. A gift of any size makes a difference.
Background
Harvard Magazine was established in 1898 by a small group of alumni to provide graduates and others with a way to stay connected to the University, undergraduate life, and each other. Today, it is published by an independent, nonprofit corporation and remains an editorially autonomous publication serving the alumni, faculty, and staff of Harvard University and a worldwide audience of online readers who care about ideas, education, and the creation of essential new knowledge in the liberal arts–social sciences, sciences, and the humanities–and the professions.
Through the pages of the bimonthly Harvard Magazine and online, we report on the intellectual work of the University—one of the premier research and teaching institutions in the world—and help keep alumni, faculty, staff, and other readers informed about the events and policies that will shape Harvard’s future, affect higher education, and influence the wider world. We also help maintain a vital sense of community among the alumni whose relationship with their alma mater is understandably strong throughout their lives. And our freely available website, harvardmagazine.com, complements the printed magazine with regularly updated news reports, features, and multimedia content to serve alumni and interested readers worldwide
The magazine aspires to maintain standards of excellence appropriate to the outstanding institution and the community it serves. Doing so requires highly experienced, skilled writers, editors, and designers, who can report on the frontiers of knowledge, clearly explain challenging content, and put news in meaningful context. This kind of journalism, like superb research and teaching, is inherently not cheap and we hope you, our readers, will continue to support our invaluable freedom to report information on your behalf with independence and editorial integrity.
View our fiscal year 2009 audited financial statement.
More Questions? Contact harvard_magazine[at]harvard [dot] edu.