1. Financial and Operational Support
Resources that focus on funding, sustainability, and operational needs for local news organizations.
- American Journalism Project: Offers funding to nonprofit newsrooms to build capacity and sustainability.
- First Amendment Coalition: Provides legal resources and advocacy for press freedom.
- Free Press: Advocates for policies that protect press freedom and improve access to information.
- Google News Initiative: Offers training, funding, and tools to help newsrooms innovate and grow.
- National Freedom of Information Coalition: Supports transparency and open records initiatives.
- News Revenue Hub: Support for growing audience revenue through memberships and subscriptions.
- Press Forward: A coalition providing grants to support local news ecosystems.
- National Freedom of Information Coalition: Supports transparency and open records initiatives.
- Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP): Legal resources and support for journalists.
- Solutions Journalism Network Fellowships: Supports journalists and educators to launch innovative projects and transform existing publications and courses.
2. Reporting and Civic Engagement
Resources that support journalism practices, civic engagement, research, and storytelling to improve community impact.
- The Civic Information Index: a comprehensive tool designed to assess and enhance the civic health of communities across the United States.
- Civic Language Perceptions Project 2024 – How Civic Language Unites, Divides, & Motivates American Voters: A report from PACE’s Civic Language Perceptions Project analyzes how Americans perceive various civic terms, aiming to identify words that foster connection (“bridgey” words) across political divides. Related slide deck from Citizen University.
- Hearken: Guides organizations in using listening to foster growth and community resilience.
- Listening Post Collective: Provides tools and guidance to help newsrooms engage communities through innovative listening and reporting practices.
- Maynard Institute for Journalism Education: Training and resources to promote diversity in journalism.
- News Literacy Project: Resources for teaching media literacy in schools and communities.
- OpenNews DEI Coalition: Resources to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in newsrooms.
3. Training and Professional Development
Programs and organizations providing training, mentorship, and capacity-building opportunities for journalists and news organizations.
- Agora Journalism Center: Research delves into community-centered journalism and the evolving landscape of local news.
- Center for Cooperative Media: Provides collaborative journalism training and support.
- Demystifying Media Seminar Series: Since 2016, Professor Damian Radcliffe has brought experts from all corners of the media industry to discuss the impact of this 21st-century media revolution.
- Gather: A platform that supports journalists who center community in their work.
- Google News Lab: Provides tools and resources for journalists to improve storytelling through data and technology.
- Institute for Nonprofit News: Supports 475+ nonprofit, nonpartisan news organizations dedicated to public service.
- Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE): Workshops, training, and resources for investigative journalism.
- LION Publishers: A network of local, independent online news publishers.
- Medill Local News Initiative: Research focused on sustainability for local news organizations.
- OpenNews: Provides capacity-building and support for leaders driving technical innovation and equity-focused collaboration in news organizations.
- Pew Research Center: Reports and data on journalism trends and audience engagement.
- Poynter Institute: Professional development programs and courses for journalists.
- Project Oasis: Maps the ecosystem of local digital news organizations and provides insights.
- Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Research and analysis of global media trends.
- SJN’s Complicating the Narratives Training: Provides strategies to tell richer stories on divisive issues by listening deeply, embracing complexity, and countering bias to reduce polarization and build trust.
- Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ): Offers workshops, webinars, and educational resources for journalists.
- SOJC’s Faculty Research and Creative Projects: Combines award-winning faculty expertise in media fields with inspiring teaching, real-world mentorship, and industry connections.
- Trusting News: Helps journalists build trust with their audiences.
4. Technology and Distribution
Tools and platforms for creating, managing, and sharing news content, including newsletters and digital outreach.
- Beehiiv: A newsletter platform designed for growth, with tools to optimize audience engagement.
- Datawrapper: Visualization tools for creating charts, maps, and infographics.
- DocumentCloud: A platform for analyzing, annotating, and publishing documents.
- Ghost: An open-source platform with a strong focus on publishing and newsletters.
- Hootsuite: Social media management for digital news distribution.
- Mailchimp: A user-friendly email marketing tool for managing newsletters and email campaigns.
- Substack: A platform for creating and distributing newsletters, with built-in subscription options.