In the middle of a pandemic in 2020, I left my job at a local public radio station to run NewsMatch*, one of the largest collaborative fundraising campaigns for independent journalism. The program has supported more than 300 newsrooms by leveraging the power of matching funds to spark millions of donations from communities around the U.S.

Stepping into this role allowed me to shift my perspective and gain a birds-eye and on-the-ground view of what was happening in journalism. Through office hours and focus group sessions, I’ve listened to more than 60 nonprofit newsrooms discuss their fundraising efforts. I’ve heard about the challenges they face and the new approaches they’re taking. I’ve met recent development hires entering the field, talked to newsrooms about their major donor strategies, edited donation appeals, helped newsrooms troubleshoot messaging that wasn’t working midway through their NewsMatch campaign, and more.

These experiences are one of the privileges of being in my position. As I read reports of declining local news sources and its sobering consequences, I am also hopeful. This hope comes from the grounded awareness of how nonprofit newsrooms are surviving.

In my opinion, it boils down to making philanthropic investments that not only fund quality news for today but also put newsrooms in a position to fund quality news for tomorrow. Here are a few ideas:

  • Invest in the business operation itself
  • Leverage philanthropic investments in a way that grows other revenue streams
  • Give place-based and topic-focused foundations new ways to achieve their goals

Read the full article about philanthropy for nonprofit newsrooms by Courtney Hurtt at Medium.