Lenfest Institute for Journalism’s Post

New to fundraising for news? Evenly Distributed launched a free, self-paced course for beginners to help you learn to strategically identify and prioritize funders, saving you time and boosting your chances of success. (And if you’re new to grant writing specifically, the Lenfest News Philanthropy Network has its own free course ➡️ https://lnkd.in/gtAnCARp)

To better understand the ways statewide news organizations are making a difference in their communities, the Statewide News Collective partnered with Danny Hayes, a political science professor at George Washington University, to study the community impact of three statewide news organizations – New Hampshire Public Radio, The Center For Michigan | Bridge Michigan | BridgeDetroit, and Montana Free Press. Swipe to see what we learned from Danny's research and visit our website to read the full report 💡 🏘 ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dv6VYSnY

💡🤔 What does your year-end fundraising strategy look like for 2024? If you're thinking, "It's still summer! It's way too early for me to know that!" — think again. Year-end campaigns are just around the corner, and the Lenfest News Philanthropy Network wants to help you prepare. Don't miss our free year-end fundraising session on Wed. Aug 28 at 2 p.m. EDT / 11 a.m. PDT, where we'll hear from Next City, Louisville Public Media, and other colleagues from newsrooms across the country 💸👇

Live events are a fantastic way for newsrooms to bring their communities together, demystify the work their journalists are doing to build trust, and even secure new revenue sources in the short and long term. Not sure where to start? Better News from the American Press Institute created a workbook to help you craft an event strategy that works for your organization. The free resource compiles insights and expertise from newsrooms across the industry who have mastered the art of live events 👇

Tomorrow is the last day to submit your application for our Program Manager position! Learn more about how you can join our team ⬇️

📱⭐️ Does your news organization have its own mobile app? Nine in 10 Americans own smartphones, and publishers are finding that their most highly engaged users are gravitating toward apps. “For news consumers, mobile apps provide content at their fingertips in an experience managed by brands they trust,” writes Shannan Bowen in the Beyond Print Toolkit. “For publishers, they can take advantage of smartphone capabilities like push notifications to vie for the attention of users who are already engaged with their brand.” If you haven’t built an app yet, Shannan shares tips for getting started below. And if your publication already has its own app, we want to hear from you: What advice do you have for other publishers? Which resources have you found helpful? Let us know in the comments 🗣💡⬇️

Measuring a news organization’s community impact can be tricky. And it becomes even more complicated when an outlet covers an entire state. To try and wrap our arms around the ways statewide news organizations are making a difference in their communities, the Statewide News Collective partnered with Danny Hayes, a political science professor at George Washington University, to study the community impact of three statewide news organizations – New Hampshire Public Radio, The Center For Michigan | Bridge Michigan | BridgeDetroit, and Montana Free Press. Among the key findings: 🤝 SNC outlets receive high marks for trustworthiness and for addressing key issues; 🗣 SNC outlets make significant contributions to their states’ information environments, with stories being widely shared beyond core readers; 💡 Readers of statewide news orgs are better informed about state and local issues and more likely to engage in civic activity than those who get news from other sources; ⭐️ SNC outlets leave a lasting impact, with many readers able to recall specific stories that prompted them to do deeper research or take action. Read the full report ⬇️

Attending #SRCCON today? Make sure to stop by these insightful sessions featuring members of our team: ⭐️ Community Manager Diana L. is leading a discussion on innovative approaches to impact assessment at 10 a.m. in the Heritage Room. ⭐️ Head of Communications and Editorial Joseph Lichterman is facilitating a session on how fundraising teams and newsroom staff can collaborate at 11:45 a.m. in the Johnson Room. Hope to see you there 💫

🚨 Grant opportunity 🚨 Members of The Lenfest News Philanthropy Network can now apply for a catalyst grant to experiment with innovative approaches to end-of-year fundraising — including, but certainly not limited to, direct mail fundraising, SMS messaging, live events, and more. The News Philanthropy Network is a community of practice led by The Lenfest Institute for Journalism to support and build capacity for fundraising and development professionals in journalism. Applications are open now through Sept. 5. Learn more about how to join this free community and apply ⬇️

Summer isn’t over yet, but it’s never too early to start planning for end-of-year fundraising. If you’re looking for new ideas for your plan this year, join the Lenfest News Philanthropy Network on Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 1 p.m. EDT / 10 a.m. PDT over Zoom with dozens of other development professionals. Tune in for a group discussion along with presentations from: ⭐️ Lucas Grindley, executive director at Next City, ⭐️ Ellen Oost, vice president of development and marketing at Louisville Public Media ⭐️ Kelly Wilkinson, membership director at Louisville Public Media