How vaeyc Makes Money — Revenue & Editorial Independence
Quick answer: vaeyc is funded by clearly labelled advertising, sponsored content, press releases and partnerships — never by selling our independent editorial. This page explains exactly how we earn money, the strict line we keep between commercial and editorial, and the safeguards that keep our coverage trustworthy for the educators who read us.
Key takeaways
- Revenue sources: advertising, sponsored content, press releases and partnerships.
- Never for sale: independent editorial, reviews and rankings.
- Always labelled: every paid placement is clearly disclosed.
- Reader-first: commercial arrangements don’t shape our reporting.
- Accountable: we follow the FTC endorsement guidelines.
Why we’re transparent about this
Running a publication costs money, and readers deserve to know where that money comes from. Being open about our revenue is part of earning your trust: when you understand how we’re funded and what we will and won’t do for money, you can weigh our coverage accordingly. We’d rather explain this plainly than leave you guessing.
How we earn revenue
- Advertising — labelled display and newsletter placements.
- Sponsored content — paid, clearly marked brand articles.
- Press releases — company-supplied announcements, labelled as such.
- Partnerships — ongoing, transparent commercial relationships.
What our money never buys
No amount of spend buys a place in our independent coverage, a positive review, a higher ranking or a softened opinion. We don’t sell undisclosed or disguised paid links, and we don’t publish paid material dressed up as reporting. If an advertiser or partner asks us to blur that line, we say no — because the moment coverage is for sale, it stops being worth anything to readers.
The wall between editorial and commercial
Our editorial decisions are made by our team on the merits, independent of who advertises or partners with us. Commercial conversations are handled separately from newsroom decisions. An advertiser might be praised, ignored or criticised in our editorial depending on the facts — commercial status changes nothing about how we cover a topic.
How we label paid placements
- Advertising is visually distinct from editorial.
- Sponsored content carries a prominent sponsored label.
- Press releases are marked as company-supplied announcements.
- Any affiliate or referral arrangement is disclosed where used.
Affiliate and referral income
Where we use affiliate or referral links, we disclose it, and such links never determine our editorial verdicts. A recommendation is based on merit for our readers, not on whether a link earns us anything. If we can’t recommend something honestly, we don’t, regardless of any commercial upside.
How this protects readers
These rules exist for you. By keeping revenue clearly labelled and editorial strictly independent, we make sure the coverage you rely on is honest and the promotions you see are obvious. That’s the standard we hold ourselves to, and you can hold us to it too via our advertising disclosure.
About vaeyc
vaeyc is an independent early-childhood education, professional learning and EdTech publication produced by a named editorial team working to published standards. You can learn who we are on our about us page and reach the partnerships desk through our contact page or at partners@vaeyc.org. Every commercial placement on vaeyc is labelled, and our independent editorial coverage is never for sale.
Frequently asked questions
How does vaeyc make money?
Through labelled advertising, sponsored content, press releases and partnerships — never by selling independent editorial.
Can advertisers influence your coverage?
No. Editorial decisions are independent of commercial relationships and made on the merits.
Do you sell links or paid coverage?
No. We don’t sell undisclosed or disguised paid links, or coverage dressed up as reporting. Paid placements are always labelled.
Do you use affiliate links?
Where we do, we disclose it, and they never determine our editorial verdicts.
How are paid placements labelled?
Advertising is visually distinct, sponsored content carries a sponsored label, and press releases are marked company-supplied.
Where can I read your full disclosure?
See our advertising disclosure for the detail on labelling and paid arrangements.
Who decides what you cover?
Our editorial team, on the merits — independent of who advertises or partners with us.