From Institute for Nonprofit News:
The Institute for Nonprofit News’ NewsMatch program enters its tenth cycle on Nov. 1, continuing to strengthen the sustainability of nonprofit news by helping outlets grow and diversify their sources of support. Through NewsMatch, newsrooms leverage support from a network of local and national funders to spark community giving, building a base of donors who sustain fact-based reporting. Over the years, NewsMatch has leveraged $38 million in matching gifts to help drive $362 million in community support.
NewsMatch engages audiences to provide critical, flexible funding that allows newsrooms to be responsive to the issues that matter most in their communities, from local elections to natural disasters. At a time when unbiased news and information from Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) Network newsrooms is crucially needed, this kind of community-backed revenue ensures nonprofit newsrooms can remain independent and resilient.
Since NewsMatch’s inception in 2016, 39 national and local funders have joined together to help inspire nearly half a million people to donate to a nonprofit newsroom for the first time. But NewsMatch is more than just a match. Participants gain access to essential training and tools to boost their fundraising capacity long-term. Support includes on-demand fundraising training, free wealth screenings, customizable design assets, templated email pitches, and even new on-air promotional copy in English and Spanish to reach more audiences.
“The animating idea of NewsMatch that has worked so well over the last decade is that it empowers nonprofit news organizations to attract investment from the communities they serve,” said Karen Rundlet, executive director and CEO of the Institute for Nonprofit News. “Grantmaking is not enough to ensure future sustainability: field-building organizations need to provide the incentives, training and tangible tools that allow nonprofit leaders to build lasting relationships with their audiences. NewsMatch has essentially democratized philanthropy.”
This year, 20 national and regional funders have pledged over $7.7 million to match donations for a record number of 422 participating organizations. This includes three new funders to date: the Golden Globe Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and Press Forward.
“NewsMatch is more than a fundraising campaign. It’s a movement to strengthen the roots of local news.”Dale Anglin, Executive Director, Press Forward
“NewsMatch is more than a fundraising campaign. It’s a movement to strengthen the roots of local news,” said Dale Anglin, executive director of Press Forward. “When people invest in their local outlets, they’re investing in trust and connection in their own communities. We’re thrilled to support this effort to help newsrooms grow and sustain their impact.”
NewsMatch launched in 2016 with 57 newsrooms participating and now exceeds more than 400. The program’s growth mirrors the broader expansion of the nonprofit news field; INN now has more than 500 members and, for the first time, a majority (51%) are local outlets, according to the 2025 INN Index. Local outlets, like NewsMatch participant Boyle Heights Beat, are most likely to provide more immediate – and crucial – coverage of their specific neighborhood or city.
When wildfires threatened school operations and community safety in Los Angeles earlier this year, Boyle Heights Beat delivered real-time, bilingual updates on school closures, air quality and emergency resources, ensuring that families across the region had access to vital information. The Golden Globe Foundation, a first-time NewsMatch funder, created a dedicated fund to support Los Angeles area-based newsrooms like this one.
“The Golden Globe Foundation is proud to support the Institute for Nonprofit News’ NewsMatch program so that journalists working in independent and nonprofit newsrooms may continue to engage and inform their communities about local issues and events,” said Adam Tanswell, president of the Golden Globe Foundation.
The impact of NewsMatch extends beyond a single campaign. For organizations like The Maine Monitor, the program has been a springboard for growth and sustainability. Since joining in 2017, the newsroom has raised $569,000 in individual donations and $84,500 in its own match funds, adding more than 250 new donors in 2024 alone.
“NewsMatch is a fantastic program that supports our fundraising efforts, teaches us new fundraising techniques and inspires donors,” said Maine Monitor’s Executive Director Micaela Schweitzer-Bluhm.
The 2025 NewsMatch campaign is generously supported by the following funders: Barr Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, DAFgiving360 made possible by the generosity of the Present Progressive Fund, Democracy Fund, Golden Globe Foundation, Heising-Simons Foundation, Henry Luce Foundation, Inasmuch Foundation, Independence Public Media Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Kaphan Foundation, McKnight Foundation, Press Forward, The Tow Foundation, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Wyncote Foundation. In-kind support provided by The New York Times.
NewsMatch is a collaborative fund held at The Miami Foundation.
More information about NewsMatch, including a briefing on how the program works, is available online in the Press Room. To find and donate to a participating newsroom covering a particular geographic area or topic of interest, visit findyournews.org/newsmatch.
