Guest Essay

Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit: Building a donor management program from scratch

By Rusty Rae

July 30, 2026

This essay is part of a series of reflections from the 2026 Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit sharing insights, lessons learned, and key takeaways from the conference, which was hosted in partnership with Press Forward. Access additional Summit resources here. 

As the landscape of finance for newspapers shifted from the traditional model of commercial advertising and classified advertising, there have been a number of efforts to assist publishers to fill gaping holes in their revenue stream, including legislation in New York, Illinois and other states. However, in states like Oregon, publishers are left with not much more than a pica pole and a prayer.

Three years ago, Oregon Public Information Partnership (OPIP), a 501(c)(3), developed a community donation program for partner newspapers. Today, OPIP is a fiscal sponsor for eight small Oregon community newspapers.

Publishers of for-profit newspapers generally don’t have a nonprofit mindset. One of the areas they must learn, particularly with these small grassroots efforts, is the development of a donor management program. Regardless of business model, publishers tend to understand, intuitively, the importance of building relationships and reminding subscribers, readers, and community members the value of your newspaper. 

If there is one idea that was reinforced repeatedly at the 2026 Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit, it is the importance of showing the impact your publication has within the community. It’s the secret sauce when it comes to philanthropic efforts like a community donation program.

Getting started

A first requirement is simply the change of mindset. That change means considering donations not as a one-time gift but as an ongoing revenue channel which requires regular attention.

When working with a fiscal sponsor, normally their infrastructure — usually a donation website — can generally take care of the first requirement for a donor management program: a thank-you note and an IRS receipt.

Most donation sites have excellent back-end databases that allow an immediate thank-you note to be sent by e-mail along with an IRS receipt. But spend a little time crafting your thank-you message, and add a personal touch.

Customizing your donation site can also go a long way. Make sure your site offers donors both the option for a one-time gift and for a monthly recurring donation. Consider adding links to your website, social media sites, or a link to the subscription segment of your paper.

Tips for donor retention

It is less expensive to retain the first-time donor than to gain a new benefactor. Here are several next steps to assist you turning those one-time donors into recurring donors.

Donors want to believe they are valued, and one of the best ways to demonstrate this is to contact them directly. You’ll want to do this around the two or three-week mark after their donation.

Segment your donors to give large gifts preference — but don’t forget about the small donors either. A phone call to the donor will let them know they are truly valued. Barring that, send them a personal email and invite them to contact you if they have questions. Those conversations can be simple and straightforward, speaking to your paper’s values, your role in serving the community, along with your value proposition and the impact your organization makes in the community.

Next on your to-do list should be a newsletter to go out to donors. This is generally a relatively easy task since your donor database should collect their email addresses. The newsletter isn’t about another ask — at least initially — but simply to inform readers about some of the issues your organization is covering and to spotlight your staff. When the publication earns an award or one of your reporters receives recognition for their work, be sure to publicize the award. It shows donors your work is valued by your peers.

Newsletters should become a regularly scheduled event. Monthly publication would be great, but at the very least, every other month.

Finally, another area where you can further develop your relationship with a donor is via events. These don’t have to be elaborate: A simple coffee hour hosted by the newspaper with staff members speaking about their process does wonders to improve both transparency as well as donor interest. You might also consider developing a donor press club, a premium subscription program, with quarterly gatherings to discuss any number of local topics and with a variety of benefits.

Keep in mind, like any business venture, a successful community donation program requires the same regular attention as the rest of your enterprise. Regardless of what path you choose, the goal is always to bring the community together and tell your story.

Rusty Rae is executive director of Oregon Public Information Partnership and an award-winning photojournalist and writer for the News-Register of McMinnville, Oregon.