Local Media Association is pleased to announce the news organizations selected to participate in the Illinois cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding, an intensive, six-month program that brings the lab’s proven fundraising practices to independent news organizations across the state.

The 13 organizations selected for the 2025 Lab for Journalism Funding Illinois cohort represent local newsrooms big and small, serving diverse communities across the state of Illinois, all united in their focus on civic journalism. The Illinois cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding is made possible with support from Google News Initiative and is in partnership with the Medill Local News Initiative. The lab will help these local news organizations develop and execute comprehensive programs to secure philanthropic support for their essential local journalism that is responsive to community priorities. The lab runs from April through September 2025.

The news organizations selected are:

About the Lab for Journalism Funding

The Illinois cohort will be led by Frank Mungeam, who leads the lab as LMA chief innovation officer. Newsrooms will receive one-on-one coaching from a team of coaches, including Jennifer Preston, Joanne Heyman and Judi Terzotis. The Illinois cohort is being led in partnership with the Medill Local News Initiative.

“We are pleased to partner with LMA to bring these fundraising best practices to newsrooms across Illinois as part of our ongoing effort to support and sustain essential local journalism,” said Mackenzie Warren, director of the Medill Local News Accelerator, a project of the Medill Local News Initiative.

Since launching in 2020, the LMA Lab for Journalism Funding has trained nearly 150 newsrooms in best practices for growing community support for essential local journalism, thanks to support from Google News Initiative. To date, alumni of the lab have raised more than $28 million to sustain local news. 

In 2025, with new GNI support, the Lab for Journalism Funding will lead state cohorts in California and New Mexico as well as Illinois. The lab will also expand fundraising support for alumni and offer another national cohort of the lab in the fall, with new funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

“The Google News Initiative has been a long-standing partner of the Lab for Journalism Funding,” said Lauren Ashcraft, news partner manager at Google. “It was exciting to see the success of the new state cohorts of the lab from last year and we’re thrilled to support an expansion of the program in these important states. We look forward to our continued partnership with LMA and its members.”

LMA has also published two industry reports, Pathways to Philanthropy and Sustaining Philanthropy for Journalism, free to newsrooms to download to help local newsrooms apply best practices from the lab to their own philanthropic efforts.

Meet the Newsrooms

Borderless Magazine

“I’m excited to join a community of individuals responsible for development and gain a deeper understanding of the field. I look forward to strengthening and gaining new skills and implementing them at Borderless as we’re in a period of rapid growth.”

– Sarah Luyengi, development and impact manager

Capitol News Illinois

“Capitol News Illinois is thrilled to join the Local Media Association’s fundraising cohort. We see this as a fantastic opportunity to refine our fundraising approach and convert more of our growing digital audience — especially the 30-55 age group — into dedicated donors. Through this program, we hope to develop strategic messaging that appeals to a younger audience and integrate technologies that simplify the donation process. Additionally, we recognize the value that comes from learning from fellow participants facing similar challenges, as we collectively aim to boost donor engagement and strengthen our fundraising efforts together.”

– K. Ellen Stackhouse, director of audience development and engagement

Chicago Public Media

“We are thrilled to participate in the LMA’s IL Cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding to explore innovative, sustainable solutions to support independent local journalism. We hope this will not only strengthen our own work but contribute to a thriving, resilient news ecosystem for the Chicago area.”

– Kate Walsh, director of institutional giving

Cicero Independiente

“We’re excited to learn with our cohort members and dream of new ways we can use philanthropy to grow our civic information work in our majority immigrant community. We believe that communities that have been divested from deserve free, equitable access to news and information that they can use to improve their wellbeing. We hope to meet partners who are equally as excited as us to ensure that we can continue to meet our community’s needs.”

– Irene Romulo, development and community engagement director

Harvey World Herald

“I’m elated that our organization will receive this level of fundraising training. For tiny publishers serving small towns like Harvey, Illinois, it’s often out of reach.”

– Amethyst J. Davis, founder

Illinois Answers Project

“The Illinois Answers Project team is proud to join LMA’s Illinois cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding… By joining with other leading local, nonprofit newsrooms in efforts like this, we can develop more sustainable philanthropy and revenue models that help ensure we can continue to produce government accountability reporting that serves people in Chicago and across Illinois.”

– David Greising, president of Better Government Association, which publishes the Illinois Answers Project

Investigate Midwest

“I am humbled and excited to represent Investigate Midwest in LMA’s newest cohort. It is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with fellow Illinois publishers to learn, innovate and implement strategies that will secure our newsroom’s future.”

– Erin Orr, executive director

Investigative Project on Race and Equity

“In this moment, sustaining fact-based sources of information is arguably more critical than ever. Together, we’re stronger in finding transformative solutions for serving our communities.”

– Angela Caputo, executive director

Invisible Institute

“Invisible Institute is excited to be included in the LJF cohort to further build our fundraising capacity and to build relationships with other cohort members.”

– Brigid Maniates, director of operations

La Raza

“La Raza is transforming itself to innovate, increase its sustainability options, and keep exercising our high-quality Spanish journalism to serve the large and dynamic Latino community in Chicago. In this journey, our participation in the LMA Lab for Journalism Funding Illinois cohort will be paramount to increase our knowledge, contacts and motivation to generate new revenue and keep serving our community.”

– Jesús Del Toro, director general

Rochelle News-Leader

“We could not have been more pleased to learn of our acceptance into the LMA’s Lab for Journalism Funding. I’m looking forward to learning skills that will help to improve the services we offer here and throughout News Media Corporation.”

– Jeff Helfrich, managing editor

The Chicago Defender

“I am thrilled that the Chicago Defender, a historic publication now celebrating 120 years, will join the Illinois cohort of the Local Media Association’s Lab for Journalism Funding. This is a powerful opportunity to develop a sharp, meaningful project that directly serves our unique audience. Through this initiative, we will strengthen our philanthropic journalism efforts and refine our community listening strategy to better respond to our readers’ needs.”

– Tacuma R. Roeback, managing editor

Windy City Times

“We are thrilled to participate in the Lab for Journalism Funding during what’s shaping to be a transformational era for our newsroom. This program will help us rally support for Windy City Times as we shift toward becoming a newsletter-first, digitally minded operation to better meet the needs of Chicago’s LGBTQ+ community today.”

– Jake Wittich, managing editor