Mission

Greenbelt Online is an independent, 501c3 publication with a 4-part mission:

  • To create and promote resources and stories that enrich the lives of Greenbelt’s residents.
  • To promote organizations, businesses and artists of all kinds located in Greenbelt and to help connect them with each other.
  • To showcase Greenbelt’s unique history, culture and natural resources for visitors and potential residents.
  • To provide free web pages for Greenbelt organizations and artists in any medium.

Contact

To reach us, email Editor@GreenbeltOnline.org.

What’s on Greenbelt Online

Who We Are

Greenbelt Online’s editorial team, responsible for its content and policies, is composed of Susan Harris, Shaymar Higgs, Owen Kelley, Alison Gary, Barbara Glick Jeff Lemieux and Julie Winters. The website continues to be improved and maintained by Tanya Amaya and her team at Mosaic Data Services.

Click here to learn more about Who’s Behind Greenbelt Online.

Policies

We encourage Greenbelters to share their stories and opinions on our blog. The editorial team will help with editing, layout and illustrations. Blog posts must be about Greenbelt, or day trips for Greenbelters. Authors, who may live anywhere, must:

  • Abide by copyright law.
  • Strive for accuracy and make corrections when needed.
  • Use family-friendly language. (This applies to comments, too.)
  • Be respectful and constructive in any criticism.
  • Be transparent as to their identity.

Income and Expenses

The website and social media channels are supported by:

  • A grant from the State of Maryland, through Maryland Milestones.
  • The generosity of dozens of sponsors, especially our major sponsors – Beltway Plaza, McCarl’s Dental Group and Realtor Kim Kash. We have no advertisers; just sponsor logos.

Listings in the Greenbelt Creatives Directory, the Directory of Greenbelt Organizations and the Community Links page are free. Businesses listed in our planned Greenbelt Business Directory will be asked to pay $50/year.

On the expense side, the only unavoidable expenses are for hosting and maintenance. After paying those essentials we use funds to improve and promote the site, primarily through paid ads in the Greenbelt News Review.

History of Greenbelt’s Community Websites: Greenbelt.com, 1996-2006

Way back in 1996, Greenbelt welcomed its first community website, Greenbelt.com, which served as a directory of all things Greenbelt and offered web space for local organizations and even private citizens. It also made email addresses available to member for a nominal fee, and over 100 people took advantage of that deal, with addresses like John@Greenbelt.com.

All those services were provided under the auspices of the Greenbelt Internet Access Cooperative, which sadly dissolved in 2006, after which the site was no longer updated. The domain name Greenbelt.com has been transferred to the City of Greenbelt for safekeeping.

Greenbelt Online Launches in 2017

In early 2016, Greenbelt MakerSpace founder George Boyce called a meeting to discuss Greenbelt’s need for a community website and other digital services. That’s where web developer Tanya Amaya and Greenbelt blogger Susan Harris met and volunteered to create a bigger, better website together to serve the city. .

Susan’s “Greenbelt Live” blog, which began in 2012, was exported to the newly created Greenbelt Online for its launch on January 1, 2017. Greenbelt Online is incorporated in Maryland and was granted 501c3 nonprofit status by the IRS. In 2019 it was awarded a grant of Maryland state funds through Maryland Milestones, to improve and promote the site.

2021 Update

Greenbelt Online collaborates with other Greenbelt media – Greenbelt Access TV, the Greenbelt News Review and the Greenbelt Museum. Details in this post.

How to Get Involved

  • Write for the Greenbelt Online Blog, just once or more often. The editorial team will help with editing, illustrating and layout for the web, and you’ll have a link to your article to share and put on your portfolio..
  • Tell us if your organization is missing from the Community Directory, or if the link is bad. Help make the site all-inclusive and error-free!
  • Help promote Greenbelt Online (and therefore Greenbelt itself).
  • What else? We’re excited to hear your ideas.

To contact us about volunteering or with your suggestions, just email us.