LION: Local Independent Online News Publishers

? In this week's LION newsletter ? ?? Our latest case study is packed with actionable examples and tips from five LIONs who have found success producing in-person events (feat. Bike Portland, BridgeDetroit, Burlington Buzz, The Optimist, and Verified News Network, and written by Elaine Díaz Rodríguez) ???? How some LIONs are using last week's election results to help them fundraise (plus, join us tomorrow for a free EOY fundraising workshop with Blue Engine Collaborative) ?? Press Forward's second Open Call (focused on infrastructure) is officially open https://lnkd.in/gXNsyuDZ

?? In the last several years, LION's growth has skyrocketed. In fact, according to our latest data, LION membership is already up 33% since the first quarter of last year. So to help ensure we continue to provide consistent, high-quality service to these publishers, we're super excited to welcome Jessica deRivera, our new membership services manager, to the team. If you're a current or prospective member, she'll be your go-to guide to help you navigate all that LION has to offer! Learn more about Jess and her role: https://lnkd.in/gnfGPsuz

? In this week's LION newsletter ? ?? A post-election Thank You, plus safety and security resources ?? Four big opportunities for independent publishers (feat. findings from Blue Engine Collaborative / David Grant) ?? 13 additional and timely offerings (including Press Forward's next Open Call, an EOY fundraising workshop, and a legislative update) https://lnkd.in/gNU4YU6C

We're seeking a FT Associate Director of Product to build and maintain the systems we use around membership here at LION: Local Independent Online News Publishers. It's $110k per year, great benefits, fully remote -- Salesforce experience, detailed here, required. https://lnkd.in/eqX2s85J #nonprofits #membership #salesforce

?? ?? We’re thrilled to announce that we’ve selected the six newsrooms that will comprise the inaugural cohort of our Sustainability 360 program. Supported by the Google News Initiative, this program is dedicated to helping LION members reach the growth stage of our independent news maturity model. Congrats to Ctrl+P Publishing, Mission Local, SF, LOOKOUT Publications, RANGE Media, Planet Detroit, and The Buckeye Flame! Discover what each organization plans to tackle during the eight-month program.

? In this week's LION newsletter ? ?? In partnership with Blue Engine Collaborative, we've developed a working definition for when a newsroom reaches sustainability ?? Discover how News Revenue Hub helps publishers drive audience growth and revenue ?? Lessons learned from Medill Local News Initiative's 2024 "Bright Spots" (eight of which are LION members!) https://lnkd.in/gcx8HqJm

What does it mean for a news organization to be “sustainable”? This question is at the heart of local news’s future, but there’s no universal definition of when a newsroom reaches that point. So Blue Engine and LION: Local Independent Online News Publishers are here to give it a try. Here’s our working definition: ???????????????????????????? ?????????? ???????????? ?????? ???????????????????? ???? ?????????????????? ?????????? ???????????????????? ???? ?????? ?????? ???? ????????’?? ?????????? ???????????????????????????? ?????????????? (?????????????????????? ????????????????????, ?????????????????? ????????????, ?????? ???????????????????????? ????????????) -- ???? ????????. Sustainability isn’t about perfection – it’s about having the structure and strength to keep going, even under pressure. In auditing 10 larger LION publishers to build this definition, we found four major contributors to a resolute local newsroom: 1?? Talent – The right people in the right roles 2?? Financial health – Cash reserves to cover 6+ months of expenses 3?? Product-market fit – Local stakeholders consistently showing up 4?? Structure – A system that produces reliable results But here’s the key: ???????????????????????????? ??????’?? ???? ????????????????. Many publishers strategically cycle back to a “growing” phase to expand into new markets or strengthen their foundation. You can read our findings, with more insights to come, on LION’s site here: https://lnkd.in/ghtSYH87 A huge thank you to LION, the Google News Initiative, and the publishers who shared their insights for this project, including ARLnow, Block Club Chicago, Honolulu Civil Beat, Lookout Local, MinnPost, New York Amsterdam News, Richland Source, Spotlight PA, The Daily Memphian and The Sacramento Observer. How do you define sustainability for your organization? What would it look like if you achieved it? Let us know in the comments below.

? In this week's LION newsletter ? ?? 10 lessons from 10 years in independent news publishing ?? What LION members want ?? Crunching the numbers: Highlights from the latest Medill Local News Initiative, SembraMedia, and Institute for Nonprofit News reports https://lnkd.in/gANmrKJv

It has been 10 years since we gathered in a loft in Old City to turn on the URL for Billy Penn at WHYY (before it was at WHYY!). And I’ve been in this role at LION: Local Independent Online News Publishers for five years — so here are 10 things I’ve learned about local independent online news publishing, in the decade since I first joined this ecosystem. With cameos from, well, pretty much every org we could think to include...

It's official: Press Forward's Open Call has released?its first round of recipients. The majority will receive $100,000 each over two years, and the number of funded organizations is twice the planned size. Overall, 205 newsrooms will receive more than $20M, and among them are 85 LION members. We're thrilled to see the range of outlets selected for these grants. We also know that more than 900 organizations applied for the Open Call, and many of our members applied and were disappointed to hear that they did not receive funding. LION is looking to add resources and ongoing support for members working on revenue generation, including grant applications. See the full list of LION members who received funding this round. And keep an eye out for Press Forward's next Open Call on Nov. 13! https://lnkd.in/gwdCNe9m