Newsletter

Newsletter: New ideas for news fundraising

July 28, 2026

What works for one news organization can spark ideas at another. At the 2026 Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit, hosted in partnership with Press Forward, we brought together 500 news fundraisers, publishers, and funders to share lessons on news fundraising that other organizations can incorporate into their own strategy. 

In today’s issue of The Lenfest Institute newsletter, our community members share a glimpse of how the event helped spark new ideas and changed the way they are approaching their work. Keep scrolling to read reflections from the Summit, along with details on a job opportunity and upcoming workshops from The Lenfest Institute’s Communities of Practice. 

Thank you, as always, for your support of The Lenfest Institute. If a friend forwarded you this email, you can sign up to receive updates on our work here. 

Sign up for The Lenfest Institute Newsletter

Get the latest from The Lenfest Institute. Learn more about our partners, grantees, and how the Institute is supporting local news in Philadelphia and around the United States.

Subscribe

* indicates required

Email Address *

Newsletters

• Lenfest Institute Newsletter
• Solution Set: Regular reports on innovation in news
• Solution Set Book Club
• BEYOND: Reimagining Philadelphia Journalism

Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit reflections

The biggest challenge in news fundraising isn’t fundraising

By Briana Crane, AP Fund for Journalism

“How do you help a loyal reader see themselves as a philanthropist to your mission? How do you make a major gift ask when someone thinks of themselves primarily as a news consumer? How do you talk about legacy giving in an industry whose own future is still being rewritten? Those questions are too important, and too new, for any one organization to answer alone. That’s why one of the most valuable investments in our field may be our opportunities to learn from one another.”

The marketplace model for local news

By Ruby Jones, Empower Media Exchange

“For years, journalism has relied on institutional pleading, asking the public to recognize that it is essential, endangered, and worthy of rescue. Yet people do not need to be persuaded that something matters when they are given the opportunity to experience its value firsthand. When communities are invited into storytelling, listening sessions, and public-facing engagement, local news becomes less extractive and more relational. Instead of being convinced of its value, people encounter it directly.”

You don’t need to become someone else to raise money

By Jake Hylton, Lookout Publications

“[Funders are] people who chose to work in philanthropy because they believe in something. They want to be in relationships with people doing work that matters. They’re not sitting across the table waiting for you to perform, they’re actually dreading that. They’re waiting for you to be real, to show up and be the great thing they believe in next.”

The future of local news is sitting in a student newsroom

By Charlotte Varnum, The Red & Black

“In most news organizations, serving today’s audience and preparing tomorrow’s journalists are separate endeavors. At The Red & Black, they are one and the same. What has been built here over 133 years may offer something larger than a local success story: a model for how independent, student-led news organizations can strengthen their communities today while ensuring there will be a free press to serve them tomorrow.”

Speaking Martian: bringing journalism philanthropy to Honduras

By Ruth Marie Canahuati

“My long-term objective is to build bridges between NGOs, corporate social responsibility initiatives, and media outlets in Honduras. Before Philadelphia, I had the vision but lacked the roadmap. The sessions gave me a much clearer picture of the landscape — and more importantly, the confidence that this work is not only possible but urgently needed … The needs of communities, the challenges facing the media industry, and the health of democracy are universal concerns, even if the solutions must be locally designed. Nothing about us, without us.”

News and notes

• Houston-based creator Shawn Singh (@ShawnTheFoodSheep) and Jennifer Chang from the Houston Chronicle are joining the Lenfest Audience Community for a candid conversation on how the media and creator ecosystems are working together. Join us this Thursday, July 30 at 2 p.m. EDT / 11 a.m. PDT to explore how audience expectations are evolving and what local media organizations can learn from independent voices building loyal online communities.
• People increasingly ask and debate how journalism will remain relevant in an AI-saturated information ecosystem. Could the answer be as simple as leaning into the human elements of reporting: building relationships, making ethical decisions, understanding communities and producing original reporting? Join the Lenfest News Philanthropy Network and Lynn Walsh of Trusting News on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 2 p.m. EDT / 11 a.m. PDT for a discussion on incorporating the humanity of your work into your fundraising efforts. 
• Across the country, AI tools are helping journalists cover more ground, streamline research processes, fuel business growth, and improve audience experiences. OpenAI shared its top experiments to watch in the journalism industry, including from The Philadelphia Inquirer, The San Francisco Standard, Chicago Public Media, and The Seattle Times — all members of the Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program in partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft. (If you’re interested in learning more about AI and journalism, the Collaborative is launching a new newsletter, Context Window. Sign up here for lessons from our Fellows and beyond.)
• The Lenfest Institute is hiring a part-time Media Ecosystem Coordinator to support a two-year initiative strengthening local news organizations serving communities across Central Texas. This role serves as a locally embedded extension of the Lenfest Expert Network, helping participating organizations stay connected, engaged, and informed throughout the program. If you’re based in Central Texas and are active in local media, civic, nonprofit, or philanthropic spaces, apply by Sunday, Aug. 9.