In today’s funding environment, it can be challenging for local news organizations to determine the most effective approach to securing philanthropic support.
Since April of 2025, Local Media Association has been consulting five local news organizations participating in the Knight x LMA BloomLab on the importance of identifying and pursuing philanthropic funding opportunities.
Based on our work with these organizations, we’ve compiled a list of key dos and don’ts to help local newsrooms successfully pursue philanthropic dollars to sustain and grow their journalism.
DO: Build strong funder relationships
Building and sustaining relationships with funders is essential for local news organizations. Too often, organizations seeking philanthropic support only reach out when a request for proposals or a grant opportunity appears to align with their values. In BloomLab, we encourage publishers to take a more proactive approach—making time to connect with local foundations, meeting with funders in person or virtually to understand their priorities and periodically sharing updates on new developments within their organizations.
DO: Conduct ongoing community listening
For local news organizations, the community should always have a voice in what is covered. Too often, newsrooms assume they already know which topics and issues matter most to residents. Ongoing community listening helps ensure local news organizations remain truly connected to the people they serve. Tools such as surveys, community forums, and informal conversations over coffee or lunch with residents and community leaders create valuable opportunities to gather input, receive feedback, and stay informed about the community’s evolving needs and priorities.
DO: Determine funding priorities
After conducting community listening, identifying funding priorities becomes much clearer. Insights gathered from meetings with community stakeholders can help local news organizations pinpoint the specific beats, programs, or initiatives most in need of support. Once those priorities are defined, organizations should develop budgets and set measurable goals that clearly demonstrate their ability to be effective and responsible stewards of philanthropic funding.
DO: Create donor campaigns
When identifying and securing philanthropic support, local news organizations can easily spend most of their time chasing and applying for grant funding. While grants should remain an important part of a diversified philanthropic portfolio, we often advise publishers in our Funding Shared Service group to also cultivate support through small-donor campaigns. Strategically placed throughout the year, donor campaigns create accessible opportunities for supporters to contribute to the long-term sustainability and growth of the organization. We also encourage organizations to make each ask specific, clearly explaining how donor contributions will advance a particular role, project, or initiative within the newsroom.
DO: Ask for letters of support
When applying for grant opportunities, you don’t have to go at it alone. If you have partners or advocates within your community, don’t hesitate to ask them for letters of support and include those endorsements, when permitted, in your grant applications. Hearing from trusted community organizations or leaders that your work is worthy of investment can carry significant weight with funders and meaningfully strengthen your support case.
DON’T: Chase funding that poorly aligns with community needs
I often remind publishers in our Funding Shared Service group that not every funding opportunity is worth pursuing simply because it is available. Applying to misaligned grants can force local news organizations to contort their work to fit a funder’s priorities—trying to force a square peg into a round hole. Instead, organizations should focus on opportunities that clearly align with their community’s needs and priorities. Before applying, ask what specific issue the funding would help to address and whether the associated work and deliverables realistically fit within the organization’s internal capacity and day-to-day operations.
DON’T: Apply for grants without a coordinated internal strategy
Even for small organizations, grant applications require coordination across multiple teams—no single person should manage the process alone. The grant writer or staff member leading the application should work closely with the organization’s CFO and other key stakeholders to ensure alignment. Cross-departmental teams should meet at least twice a month to review funding pipelines, active campaigns, and upcoming deliverables. Avoid working in silos: while budgeting, program execution, and editorial oversight may sit in different departments, each plays a critical role in the success of the project or initiative outlined in a grant proposal.
DON’T: Underestimate the importance of local grant opportunities
It can be tempting to pursue large national grant opportunities, and while these can be part of your philanthropic strategy, it’s equally important to dedicate significant time to engaging with local foundations and funders. National grants are highly competitive and often receive a large volume of applications, which can significantly reduce a local newsroom’s chances of being selected. Local grant opportunities, while sometimes smaller, often offer a more realistic path to success. In addition, securing support from local funders can make your organization more attractive to national Grantmakers, who are often more inclined to invest when local backing is already in place.