The CNEA (Community News in English Association) was created by four individuals in 2011. It is a non-profit association created in conformity with the Swiss Civil Code. The association’s seat is in Saint Prex, canton Vaud.
The association’s objective is to encourage delivery of independent, quality community news. In order to support this, the financial viability of GenevaLunch is a primary consideration. Publisher Ellen Wallace was elected president of the CNEA.
GenevaLunch is an independent regional online news service managed by experienced and professional editors. It is a product of Zidao Communication, which finances basic costs, but it has been staffed during its first five years entirely by volunteers.
Initially, the CNEA seeks to raise funds to distribute to GenevaLunch to cover costs directly related to its operation as a news and information service, to provide stability and regular production: with over 100,000 pages viewed a month, the international community in the Lake Geneva region has come to rely on GenevaLunch as a main source of news and information. It eases the integration of this population into local communities and it raises the profile of this group, as well as Switzerland in general, thanks to international distribution via the Internet.
Zidao makes accessible to the CNEA board regular reports on how the funds were disbursed. Zidao continues to sell advertising to bring in commercial revenue to GenevaLunch.
The association and the media it supports are non-political, non-partisan, non-religious and multicultural.
The association’s main activity is to raise funds to support the projects whose applications for funding are approved by the association’s board. Applications from other entities will be solicited or considered only once GenevaLunch’s viability for a minimum of 18 months is assured.
