Local Media Association and Local Media Foundation work to reinvent business models for news by focusing on our four strategic pillars:
- Business transformation
- Journalism funded by philanthropy
- Industry collaboration
- Sustainability for publishers of color
Here are recent articles about our work in all four strategic pillars.
LMA announces newsrooms in the 2026 national cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding
Local Media Association is pleased to announce the 20 news organizations selected to participate in the 2026 national cohort of the LMA Lab for Journalism Funding. The lab will help these local news organizations develop and execute strategies to fund essential local journalism via philanthropy. The six-month intensive program runs from August through February 2026.…
How podcasting extended the reach of LGBTQ+ media research
In September 2025, News is Out, the pioneering queer media collaborative, released the LGBTQ+ Media Mapping Project. This year-long effort was the brainchild of Tracy Baim, co-founder of Windy City Times and a queer media legend. The project, which was made possible thanks to support by The MacArthur Foundation, and assistance from the Craig Newmark…
Why legacy matters
“Legacy” media. We use the phrase as shorthand for “media that have failed to change with the times.” I get that. Lost, though, is another aspect of the meaning of “legacy”: what you are known for — your reputation earned over time for your work. A news organization’s legacy matters in three important ways, and…
LMA announces newsrooms in the 2026 state cohorts of the Lab for Journalism Funding
Local Media Association is pleased to announce the news organizations selected to participate in the 2026 state cohorts of the Lab for Journalism Funding, serving newsrooms across three states in New Hampshire, Oklahoma and Wyoming. This intensive, six-month program will bring the lab’s proven fundraising practices to 17 independent news organizations across these states. The…
Partnering to strengthen communities: Donor-advised funds, community foundations and local newsrooms
Donor-advised funds (DAFs) are one of the fastest-growing charitable giving vehicles in the U.S. — and a largely untapped revenue opportunity for local news leaders. That opportunity was the focus of a recent Lab Link webinar hosted by Local Media Association’s Lab for Journalism Funding, with support from Knight Foundation. The webinar featured Morgan Baum,…
LMA opens applications for 2026 national cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding
(June 24, 2025) — All local media companies are invited to apply to join the 2026 national cohort of the LMA Lab for Journalism Funding to learn strategies to sustain their journalism with philanthropic support. Thanks to support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, this program will bring the lab’s proven training…
Advice from journalism funders for newsrooms seeking philanthropic support
Newsrooms who hope to win philanthropic support must first learn about what matters to funders. That’s one takeaway from a roundtable conversation hosted by the Lab for Journalism Funding, where funders shared advice with news leaders seeking to support their journalism in part through philanthropy. The panel included current and former funders with experience in…
Fixing the foundation: Early lessons from technology shared services in local news
For years, local media publishers have been fixing problems with duct tape — one-time vendors, making their own tools, keeping freelance “experts” on speed dial and setting up workflows that only make sense at the time. It worked, until it didn’t. When staff left, budgets tightened, or a platform changed its rules, the foundation began…
LMA launches Oklahoma cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding with support from Google News Initiative
(May 6, 2026) — The Local Media Association Lab for Journalism Funding is launching a new state cohort in Oklahoma, in partnership with the Oklahoma Media Center, thanks to support from Google News Initiative. This program will bring the lab’s proven training and fundraising impact to publishers in Oklahoma, enabling them to sustain their essential…
LMA launches Wyoming cohort of the Lab for Journalism Funding with support from Google News Initiative
(May 6, 2026) — The Local Media Association Lab for Journalism Funding is launching a new state cohort in Wyoming, in partnership with the Wyoming Local News Fund, thanks to support from Google News Initiative. This program will bring the lab’s proven training and fundraising impact to publishers in Wyoming, enabling them to sustain their…
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