Nonprofit news sites – and their search for sustainability

A new report offers a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at the country’s pioneer online local news ventures, providing data on how they are generating revenue, engaging users and cultivating donors. Focusing on eight local, professional nonprofit sites, the report, “Getting Local: How Nonprofit News Ventures Seek Sustainability” includes:

• The sites’ efforts to experiment with new revenue sources beyond foundation support, including corporate sponsorship, events, syndication and membership programs.
• A detailed breakdown of the sites’ expenses, including budget percentages spent on editorial, marketing and technology – providing a look at each site’s approach to sustainability.
• The innovations the sites have created to attract and keep users – including data apps to track bicycle accidents and local immunization rates and to help residents imagine ways to plug holes in local budgets.

The report provides journalists and funders a framework for thinking about and assessing the organizations’ viability. To achieve sustainability, revenue generation is as important as engaging users and as the capacity to develop and adapt to changing technologies, the study says.