Program

Lenfest Institute to invest $1 million in partnerships between content creators and local newsrooms

The Lenfest News Creator Collaborative and The Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange Creators Network will offer grants, training, and community for local newsrooms

November 12, 2025

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism is today announcing $1 million in new investments to support partnerships between content creators and local publishers in Philadelphia and around the United States.

The Institute will catalyze equitable partnerships between mission-driven local news organizations and independent news creators. It is launching two programs to unite the rigor and infrastructure of established newsrooms with the innovation and cultural relevance of creators.

The investment includes two grant programs:

• The Lenfest News Creator Collaborative, which will award up to $400,000 in grants and offer free training programs for creators and publishers. The Creator Collaborative is open to for-profit and nonprofit news organizations from across the United States. The Creator Collaborative is supported by the Esther A. & Joseph Klingenstein Fund.

• The Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange Creators Network, a four-month collaborative incubator for Philadelphia-based news media founders and content creators. Participating teams of news organizations and creators will receive direct funding from a total pool of $200,000, along with mentorship, learning sessions, and access to the Institute’s expert network of media advisors. The Founders Exchange is supported by the Institute and Comcast NBCUniversal.

The Institute will also invest in news creator-related research, convenings, services, and other programming in 2026.

“In keeping with the Institute’s emphasis on business innovation, each program will focus on experiments in building and engaging new audiences for quality local news and finding practical ways to monetize the work of news creators and partnerships for the benefit of local journalists and journalism,” said Lenfest Institute Executive Director & CEO Jim Friedlich. 

Here are more details about both opportunities:

Lenfest News Creator Collaborative

The Lenfest News Creator Collaborative program is designed to provide participants with ongoing guidance and resources. In addition to financial grants, the program includes a Creator Community, in-person convenings, and free one-on-one consulting to help grantees navigate challenges, accelerate their learning, and ensure their projects break new ground for the industry. 

The Creator Collaborative is open to independent U.S.-based news organizations that provide local coverage to a specific geography. Applications are due Monday, January 12, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Grants will support practical, measurable projects that foster collaborative partnerships between established news organizations and high-quality independent news creators. Grants will help advance key business imperatives, including audience development, revenue generation, and brand marketing, with the thesis that stronger overall news ecosystems—including a more serious and intentional investment in the work of news creators—support a more informed public. The Institute will award a limited number of grants of up to $100,000 per organization, from a total pool of $400,000. 

The Creator Collaborative is supported by the Esther A. & Joseph Klingenstein Fund.

In addition to grants, the Lenfest News Creator Collaborative program includes

• Creator Community Programming — free virtual trainings for both news creators and established news organizations partnering with them– led by partners and experts. 
• In-person convenings in 2026 — a creator-focused group and broader convening open to creators, grantees, and other stakeholders. 
• Free consulting services — select applicants and Community members may receive complimentary one-on-one support through the Lenfest Expert Network Advisory Service to shape and execute projects. 

More details about the Creator Collaborative, including information about how to apply and other guidelines, are available here:

Learn more about the Creator Collaborative Learn more about the Creator Collaborative

Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange Creators Network

Running from January to April 2026, the Philadelphia Media Founders Exchange News Creators Network will serve as a four-month collaborative incubator for Philadelphia-based news media founders and content creators.

The deadline to apply is Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. EST. The program will select four teams of media founders and news-focused creators.

The Founders Exchange program will:

• Support innovative partnerships that connect traditional journalism with new-media storytelling.
• Build capacity, sustainability, and leadership among independent news media innovators.
• Provide training and support on the use of new AI technologies and practices for news.
• Deepen public understanding of civic issues through creative, community-rooted storytelling.
• Expand The Lenfest Institute’s commitment to equity and inclusivity in local media.

Participants will engage in a series of learning and collaboration labs structured as short, hands-on two-week sprints. Participants will apply strategies in real time, learn through feedback, and track audience impact.

The program will host two listening and design sessions with approximately 30 local creators and newsroom partners to discuss their needs, pain points, and hopes for collaboration.

The Founders Exchange will be co-led by Jos Duncan-Asé and Rec Philly’s Will Toms. It is supported by The Lenfest Institute and Comcast NBCUniversal.

Learn more about the Founders Exchange Learn more about the Founders Exchange

Applications for either grant must be submitted through the Institute’s Fluxx grantee portal. Create or log into your account, select the appropriate grant, and click Apply. Please note if you are new to the portal, you will need to create your account at least two business days prior to each application due date. Account validation can take up to 48 hours.