Local Media Association and Local Media Foundation work to reinvent business models for news by focusing on our four strategic pillars:
- Business transformation
- Journalism funded by philanthropy
- Industry collaboration
- Sustainability for publishers of color
Here are recent articles about our work in all four strategic pillars.
LMA opens applications for 2026 national cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding
(June 24, 2025) — All local media companies are invited to apply to join the 2026 national cohort of the LMA Lab for Journalism Funding to learn strategies to sustain their journalism with philanthropic support. Thanks to support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, this program will bring the lab’s proven training…
Advice from journalism funders for newsrooms seeking philanthropic support
Newsrooms who hope to win philanthropic support must first learn about what matters to funders. That’s one takeaway from a roundtable conversation hosted by the Lab for Journalism Funding, where funders shared advice with news leaders seeking to support their journalism in part through philanthropy. The panel included current and former funders with experience in…
Fixing the foundation: Early lessons from technology shared services in local news
For years, local media publishers have been fixing problems with duct tape — one-time vendors, making their own tools, keeping freelance “experts” on speed dial and setting up workflows that only make sense at the time. It worked, until it didn’t. When staff left, budgets tightened, or a platform changed its rules, the foundation began…
LMA launches Oklahoma cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding with support from Google News Initiative
(May 6, 2026) — The Local Media Association Lab for Journalism Funding is launching a new state cohort in Oklahoma, in partnership with the Oklahoma Media Center, thanks to support from Google News Initiative. This program will bring the lab’s proven training and fundraising impact to publishers in Oklahoma, enabling them to sustain their essential…
LMA launches Wyoming cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding with support from Google News Initiative
(May 6, 2026) — The Local Media Association Lab for Journalism Funding is launching a new state cohort in Wyoming, in partnership with the Wyoming Local News Fund, thanks to support from Google News Initiative. This program will bring the lab’s proven training and fundraising impact to publishers in Wyoming, enabling them to sustain their…
How three newsrooms are using fundraising events to engage audiences and sustain local journalism
In a recent webinar from The Lab Link, hosted by Local Media Association, three news leaders shared how events are evolving from simple gatherings into powerful engines for fundraising, relationship-building and long-term sustainability. Panelists included Claire Linney, vice president of development at The Post & Courier; Jane Wooldridge, formerly senior director for journalism sustainability and…
Expanding ‘fractional exec’ services, born in BloomLab, offer new ways to add top talent to your team
If you need senior-level talent to fill gaps for your team in technology, revenue or funding development — but can’t afford to add full-time employees — Local Media Association and Local Media Foundation may have a great answer. Three “fractional executive” services for local news outlets, originally developed by LMA/LMF as part of the Knight…
‘The budget tells the story’: How to detail the dollars in a funding pitch
Want to sharpen your pitch for philanthropic support for your newsroom? Try applying the lessons learned from reporters covering city hall or the statehouse. Journalists on the government beat often hear elected officials make promises on the campaign trail or describe bold solutions in their annual addresses. These reporters know the real story is not…
Four things local publications can do right now to grow audience and engagement
The challenge is real: how do you grow your audience without breaking the budget — and how do you actually see a return? Long story short, publications need to commit to change. Not a rebrand. Not a campaign. A fundamental shift in how you engage with your community — physically, digitally and at the level…
Medill Local News Initiative and LMA launch the Midwest Advanced Fundraising Lab
(March 24, 2026) — Local Media Association and Medill Local News initiative are pleased to announce the launch of the Medill-LMA Midwest Advanced Fundraising Lab. The program will help nine local news organizations in the region develop and execute advanced strategies to fund essential local journalism via philanthropy. The three-month intensive program runs from March…
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