The Contributor is a 501c3 non-profit. All revenues go toward operating costs, according to Tasha French, the paper’s executive director. There is a small “rainy day” fund, she adds.

• 2011 Budget: $300,000, up from $127,000 in 2010.

• 2010 Impact: “About $1 million into the pockets of homeless and formerly homeless Nashvillians,” French says.

• Staff: One fulltime, four part-time.

• Number of Vendors: 450

• Compensation: Writers have been paid with newspapers -- 10 papers per 100 words with a minimum of 15 papers for a published story – though the newspaper now is “starting to pay for feature stories at a rate of 25 cents a word,” French says.

• Distribution: January 2011: About 100,000 copies. 120,000 in December 2010, up from 12,000 in January 2010.

• Cost: Vendors pay 25 cents per copy, but many get some copies free as incentives for attending meetings. Papers sell for $1. Average transaction includes $1 tip.

• Publication dates: Last Wednesday of each month.

• Affiliation: One of about 30 newspapers in the North American Street Newspaper Association