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NewsMatch supports emerging independent media outlets producing fact-based, nonpartisan reporting
News Revenue Hub, a nonprofit that provides critical technology infrastructure and consulting services to newsrooms seeking greater financial sustainability, announced that it has helped raise over $200 million for nonprofit newsrooms involved in NewsMatch, a collaborative fundraising movement powered by the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) to support independent, public service journalism.
Since 2016, nonprofit newsrooms have raised more than $192 million from individual donors during the NewsMatch matching-gift campaign, which runs annually from November 1-December 31. The program has had an outsize impact on smaller news organizations: in 2021, almost half of all participating newsrooms had operating expenses under $250K the previous year.
“A lot of NewsMatch participants are startups or small organizations — newsrooms that were started by journalists who are really passionate about covering issues in their communities, but might not have the skills that they need to fundraise effectively,” explained Meta Stange, program manager, NewsMatch.
“News Revenue Hub is helping these newsrooms build skills that they utilize all year in order to become more sustainable. They are helping to build a more sustainable field overall, which is exciting.”
Meta Stange, program manager, NewsMatch
News Revenue Hub’s expertise with small-donor fundraising was a successful complement to the newsrooms’ traditional approach of asking major donors, local businesses, and foundations for additional matching funds, and in 2021, the number of local match funders increased by nearly 150%, with 929 community supporters. For the first time in the program’s history, eight funders have made multi-year commitments — totaling $14 million — which will ensure NewsMatch campaigns for 2022 and 2023.
Although NewsMatch fundraising campaigns run for the last two months of the year, training and preparation take place year-round as News Revenue Hub offers webinars focused on reader revenue and audience development. As newsrooms approach campaign start dates, News Revenue Hub delivers NewsMatch campaign materials and offers one-on-one coaching sessions as well as post-campaign donor reporting support, including training for newsrooms to review their campaign performance and set ambitious goals for the coming year.
News Revenue Hub offers a dynamic set of training offerings designed to meet a variety of newsrooms’ needs. These assets include the campaign toolkit with email pitches, digital assets, and templates; one-on-one coaching sessions with News Revenue Hub staff; webinars and newsletter courses focused on fundamentals of digital fundraising, SEO, product development, and running election-focused campaigns; and access to News Revenue Hub’s new donation management software, News Revenue Engine.
