The 2024 Local Media Association Digital Innovation Awards spotlighted some of the most creative and impactful revenue and sponsorship strategies from newsrooms nationwide. In this winners’ spotlight, we talked to Ken Schneck of The Buckeye Flame, which earned top honors in this year’s LMA Digital Innovation Awards.

What was the big idea behind your revenue or sponsorship initiative — and how did it come about?

The idea here was to be able to access additional revenue by selling sponsored content but to stay relentlessly on brand, which for us is “LGBTQ+ Ohio.” So we approached sponsored content with the same depth, focus and integrity as we would any other article on our site. In this way, we were able to stay in our lane and within our limited capacity as a scrappy, queer nonprofit newsroom.

How did you identify the right partners or sponsors for this project?

Fun fact: All of our advertisers to date have come to us. They saw the content we put out there to the world and inquired about partnership possibilities. Each inquiry is followed by a one-on-one dialogue with our editor to see if it is the right fit for both the Flame and for the partners. We certainly have had other potential partners reach out, but if there isn’t an LGBTQ+ Ohio angle to the sponsored content, it’s not for us, even if that means leaving massive amounts of much-needed funding on the table.

What made this campaign or initiative stand out from typical ad models?

I think our board treasurer might cringe a bit if she knew just how much money we actively refuse from potential partners. But it is so critical that everything that appears on our site stands proudly with our LGBTQ+ Ohio brand, and that includes sponsored content.

What tools, platforms or strategies were key to your execution and success?

Creating authentic and transparent relationships has been the key to making this work. We speak with our partners one-on-one about who we are and what we’re trying to accomplish. When we hit bumps in the road — usually delays in publishing the content due to limited capacity — we are up front about the process. And we endlessly express our gratitude to our partners for the opportunities to amplify their work.

What were the results — and what did success look like for your team?

The fact that other publications have routinely reprinted our sponsored content is a testament to the depth and integrity of this content. Certainly our partners re-signing on for 2025 was a great mark of success, but getting the same type of feedback on these pieces as we would every other article we post on the site really means a lot to us.

What kind of feedback did you receive from the community and your sponsors?

I recently wrote one piece of sponsored content myself: ‘I had to be a warrior:’ How one Black, LGBTQ+ Ohioan blazed a trail in Alzheimer’s caregiving. My mom read it and said it was one of the strongest pieces I had written lately, which at other publications, would immediately annoy me because it’s paid content! But that piece typified exactly what we set out to accomplish: LGBTQ+ Ohio content that amplifies voices that need to be heard.

What would you say to another small newsroom trying to innovate in this space?

Don’t chase the money. Sure, you’ll get offers from sports betting firms and tobacco companies. But is that consistent with your brand? Sponsored content — clearly labeled — should be indistinguishable in integrity from every other word you publish on your site.

How are you building on this success moving forward? Any plans to evolve or repeat the initiative?

This is our model and we’re certainly sticking with it.