The Lenfest Institute for Journalism

Strong grant writing begins long before you draft a proposal. From newsroom alignment and prospect research to outcome tracking and funder relationships, there’s a lot to consider. We’ve got you covered with five practical tips to strengthen your strategy: www.lenfestinstitute.org/solutions-re...

AI is reshaping how journalism is produced, distributed, and sustained. We created an AI and the Future of Journalism Starter Pack featuring newsrooms, researchers, technologists, and organizations helping the field navigate what comes next. Explore: go.bsky.app/BwotToJ

Moving beyond print touches every part of a news organization: revenue, audience strategy, technology, customer service, and communications. Drawing on lessons from publishers navigating this shift, we built a practical toolkit: www.lenfestinstitute.org/solutions-re...

Nearly half of newspaper executives surveyed generate less than 5% of their revenue from events. About one-third generate none. But publishers that approach events strategically are seeing strong margins, new audiences and deeper relationships with sponsors and supporters.

Every Voice, Every Vote is awarding $1.4 million to 46 Philadelphia media and community partners to expand local reporting, civic education, and community conversations around the city’s 2027 municipal elections.

Read the full announcement: www.lenfestinstitute.org/institute-ne...

Every Voice, Every Vote is awarding $1.4 million to 46 Philadelphia media and community partners to expand local reporting, civic education, and community conversations around the city’s 2027 municipal elections.

Looking to connect with people and organizations building a sustainable future for local news? We created a Starter Pack featuring leaders in revenue, philanthropy, policy, innovation, and community-centered journalism. Explore the pack and follow along: go.bsky.app/KaAUeN8

The pack includes organizations working across the local news sustainability ecosystem, including @theajp.bsky.social, @lionpubs.bsky.social, @newsrevenuehub.bsky.social, @ampress.bsky.social, @centerforcooperativemedia.org, @rebuildlocalnews.bsky.social, and @inn.org.

Creator journalists are reaching communities traditional news outlets often miss. Funders need clear ways to assess trust, credibility, and fit. We created a free toolkit with Project C (@lizkellynelson.com) and @trustingnews.bsky.social to help: www.lenfestinstitute.org/solutions-re...

Since its launch in 2024, our AI Collaborative & Fellowship has placed full-time AI engineering fellows in 11 news organizations. The AI Engineering Fellows have helped local news orgs accelerate innovation, strengthen business sustainability, and responsibly adopt emerging AI technology.

Members of the Collaborative share how the program, launched in partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft, was designed to strengthen news organizations while preserving the human judgment, editorial integrity, expertise, and trust at the heart of local journalism.

Since its launch in 2024, our AI Collaborative & Fellowship has placed full-time AI engineering fellows in 11 news organizations. The AI Engineering Fellows have helped local news orgs accelerate innovation, strengthen business sustainability, and responsibly adopt emerging AI technology.

Worth revisiting: Local publishers may have more revenue potential within their existing audiences than they realize. Data from @newspack.com’s Revenue Development Program shows how focused improvements to newsletters, reader support, and advertising can produce gains that continue over time.

We’re expanding the Lenfest AI Collaborative and Fellowship Program with a new $5M commitment from OpenAI, doubling its previous financial support, along with up to $5M in added software credits and engineering support. 🧵

Since the program launched in 2024, full-time AI Engineering Fellows have worked inside 11 major news orgs, collaborating with journalists, product teams, revenue staff, and organizational leaders to develop practical tools, policies, and strategies rooted in each organization’s needs.

Audience habits, revenue models, technology, and newsroom roles are changing. Preparing for 2030 starts with understanding where your organization is strong, where gaps exist, and what capabilities it needs to build.

Worth revisiting: At our Philadelphia Creator Summit, local creators and newsroom leaders explored what happens when creative appeal meets journalistic rigor, and how that hybrid approach can help local news reach more people.

Want to make short-form video a priority in your newsroom? Start by building the case for it. Tomorrow, join us alongside Video Consortium at 3 p.m. ET for the first session of “Steal My Workflow,” a free six-part crash course. Register: lnkd.in/gH_Bja9W

Information is abundant. Why should someone come to your publication instead of an AI answer engine? That's one of the questions Sonali Verma, Amplification Lead for our AI Collaborative & Fellowship, believes every news organization should be asking.

Hoping for a lucky break with a program officer at the conference coffee break isn't a strategy — it's a gamble. Join our free, 3-part series, "Engineering Serendipity," Sept 22, 29 & Oct 6 at 2pm EDT to learn a smarter way to meet funders: