As America celebrates its 250th birthday, it's worth asking: what actually keeps democracy running? We believe local news is a big part of the answer. This holiday weekend, we’re grateful to local news organizations across the country for their work — and to people like you who make it possible.

As local newsrooms face business challenges, the Lenfest Expert Network is working to connect them with consultants that provide tailored solutions — all at no cost to the newsroom. Less than a year after launching, our experts are already making an impact on publishers ⬇️

New research from @lenfestinstitute.org examined five AJP-supported statewide nonprofit newsrooms and found readers are better informed about local issues and more likely to participate in civic life. More ⬇️

How well is your news organization prepared to manage shifting trends in audience, revenue, tech, and operations? Introducing the 2030 Newsroom Readiness Diagnostic, a free tool to help your org identify areas for growth and find resources to help you prepare for the future:

The Lenfest Institute is honored to be part of Press Forward's new $1.5 million grant program. Through this investment, we’ll continue our work in Pennsylvania to expand access to trusted local journalism and develop First Amendment-friendly policy solutions in support of local news.

📣 Calling all Philly media and community organizations: Join us for a virtual info session today at 1 p.m. EDT to learn more about how you can get involved with Every Voice, Every Vote. Register here:

Marketing your newsroom’s work is essential to securing support and advancing your mission. @kenschneck.bsky.social of @thebuckeyeflame.com joins the Lenfest News Philanthropy Network this Thursday, June 25 at 3 p.m. EDT / 12 p.m. PDT to teach the art of "shameless self-promotion" 📣💡⭐

“Newsrooms can no longer ignore the parallel creator economy but must instead find ways to engage with it.” @poynterinstitute.bsky.social shares how independent news creators are finding their footing in the media ecosystem — including through programs like the Lenfest News Creator Collaborative:

Join the Lenfest Audience Community this Wednesday: @inquirer.com shares how it's fueling triple-digit subscription growth, increasing reader revenue, and strengthening subscriber retention in a highly competitive media landscape. Register now to learn about building long-term loyalty ⬇️

If you're at #INNDays in Pittsburgh this week: Sign up for Lenfest Expert Network office hours and learn how to use creators to grow audience, expand distribution, reach younger consumers, and build sustainable engagement strategies. Only a few slots remain ⬇️

Every Voice, Every Vote is today announcing the launch of a new, two-year, $1.8 million grant program to support in-depth local journalism on key issues and drive civic action in Philadelphia. Applications for funding are now open through July 13.

@lenfestinstitute.org announced the launch of the Philadelphia Local News 2030 Initiative, a two-year, $1 million grant program that provides support to 10 Philadelphia-area local newsrooms.

Join the Lenfest Audience Community this Wednesday: @inquirer.com shares how it's fueling triple-digit subscription growth, increasing reader revenue, and strengthening subscriber retention in a highly competitive media landscape. Register now to learn about building long-term loyalty ⬇️

Happening tomorrow ⬇️

At this year’s @lenfestinstitute.org summit, we hosted a discussion with news media fundraisers, editors and publishers to learn more about their work and how the pressures they face are impacting their mental well-being. Read our latest blog post: mdrnet.org/2026/06/05/t...

A new report on five Statewide News Collective members — @mtnstspotlight.bsky.social, @spotlightpa.org, @coloradosun.com, @thenvindy.com, and @mississippitoday.org — reveals how independent local news creates community, inspires civic engagement, and leaves a lasting, real-world impact ⬇️

What if news products could move beyond static articles and adapt to each reader's individual interests and needs? Kevin Delaney joined @jimfriedlich.bsky.social on the latest episode of Newsroom Robots to discuss how @sfstandard.com's AI-powered news app is doing just that.

Drawing on her experience at Future Tides, Cara Kuhlman joins the Lenfest Communities of Practice on June 11 at 2 p.m. EDT / 11 a.m. PDT to introduce a “tours-as-journalism” model, showing how walking tours can function as storytelling platforms, engagement tools, and revenue streams.

What does it take to build news orgs that can serve communities through 2030 and beyond? Today we're launching the Philadelphia Local News 2030 Initiative, a $1 million effort to help 10 Philly-area publishers experiment with new business models and adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape.

We worked with 13 newsrooms to test a new toolkit from to help them improve communication and fundraising around their investigative work. buff.ly/gA4t4u7

What does it take to rally support for local journalism? At the 2026 Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit, 500 news fundraisers, publishers, and funders shared tips for: 💬 Telling your organization’s story 🤝 Finding alignment with donors 💸 Building a revenue mix that goes beyond philanthropy

“We are collectively building a culture of philanthropy that centers the special, profound privilege of partnering with donors and funders who are willing to give up their resources and who believe strongly in our work, and in our mission, to make their community—and our democracy—stronger.”

This week, I hosted a walk around Philly to explore the art of our public space with 80 participants of the @lenfestinstitute.org summit! Such a great group of newsmakers from around the country. Thanks for Lenfest for inviting Streets Dept to share our knowledge with your group!

When fundraising for investigative reporting, showing donors how your newsroom operates — not just why it matters — can transform results. @muckrock.com's @sunlightresearch.bsky.social built a free toolkit to help local newsrooms communicate their work and drive donations.

The Museum of the American Revolution and The Lenfest Institute have partnered to host @theatlantic.com Across America tour in Philadelphia on June 11 for an evening of reflection on the enduring and evolving American idea. Tickets available now:

The Lenfest Institute thanks and congratulates the William Penn Foundation on its recent grants, which expand access to resources and opportunities that strengthen the Philadelphia region. We’re proud to be part of WPF's commitment to Democracy & Civic Initiatives through Every Voice, Every Vote.

In the newest Newspaper Executive Insights poll with Blue Engine Collaborative, nearly half of respondents named email or newsletters as their top areas for growth in 2026 — yet the survey revealed most publishers are only spending 1% of revenue on marketing to make it happen.

The International Journalism Festival showed "the industry's future looked more human, inventive, and sustainable than the headlines suggest." Among journalism's big ideas: AI tools to help reporters, including those from the Lenfest AI Collaborative in partnership with OpenAI and Microsoft.

Very cool to see this story about @inquirer.com's transformation and how it and @lenfestinstitute.org pioneered the philanthropy + reader revenue model to do it. Would be great to see this approach replicated elsewhere! pressgazette.co.uk/north-americ...

What happens when local news disappears from a community? Join Lenfest Communities of Practice tomorrow, May 7 at 3 p.m. EDT / 12 p.m. PDT for a candid talk with Nick Mathews, author of "Deserted: Life Without Local News in Rural America," on closures, consolidation, and disconnection.

Ten years ago, the late H.F. "Gerry" Lenfest and his family launched The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. Over the past decade, we've awarded more than $117 million to 600 grantees, thanks to the support of over 6,000 donors.

What happens when local content creators meet newsroom rigor? You get "context creators." At the Philadelphia Creators Summit, news creators from across mediums shared tips for creating news content and generating revenue — including participants from the Philadelphia News Creators Network:

What happens when local content creators meet newsroom rigor? You get "context creators." At the Philadelphia Creators Summit, news creators from across mediums shared tips for creating news content and generating revenue — including participants from the Philadelphia News Creators Network:

🚨 Ten news organizations are joining The Lenfest News Creator Collaborative to develop and test new strategies for partnering with independent news creators. The projects will experiment with reaching new audiences, driving revenue, & building brand awareness.

🎧 Need something to listen to on your commute home? Our Head of National Programs Tristan Loper was featured on the latest episode of Newsroom Robots. Joined by @seattletimes.com, the podcast covers the Times's AI-powered ad sales tool, which helped drive revenue and built organizational buy-in.

One week away! 🔥 The 2026 Philadelphia Creators Summit is next Friday, April 24. Join 200+ news creators, journalists, & newsroom leaders to explore newsroom-creator partnerships. You'll learn from experts in content, tech, business, media law & more. Only a few spots remain, so register now:

CNTI studied U.S. indie info providers and found a landscape of mission-driven creators who are redefining trust, but often feel isolated and rarely earn a profit. 📉 Read and watch our report to hear from the creators. 🧵 cnti.org/reports/unde... Thanks to: @lenfestinstitute.org #Journalism #CNTI

Great news for local news: The nonprofit Venetoulis Institute, publisher of @thebaltimorebanner.com, is purchasing @post-gazette.com, saving it from a planned closure. We’re thrilled to see the ranks of nonprofit-owned newspapers grow — meaning more communities have access to quality local news.

Publishers are often sitting on far more value than they realize. After working with 100+ publishers in its Revenue Development Program, @newspack.com collected data that reveals how tweaks in the background can drive added value from newsletter growth, recurring reader revenue, and advertising:

Pennsylvania has lost 75% of its journalism jobs since 2002, and the recently announced closure of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette shows how local news capacity is disappearing. A Local News Day op-ed says revitalizing local media will require innovation, philanthropy and smart policy. 🔗 Link Below

@lenfestinstitute.org takes an inside look at how @rcfp.org's Local Legal Initiative — through the tireless work of attorney Paula Knudsen Burke — defends the First Amendment across Pennsylvania.

Local news is civic infrastructure. In an @inquirer.com op-ed for #LocalNewsDay, @jimfriedlich.bsky.social calls for PA lawmakers to enact First Amendment-friendly legislation to support local news. Philanthropy has made strides to protect local journalism, and public policy can help close the gap.

It's #LocalNewsDay! 🗞️ Strong communities start with strong local news. We're proud to support this national day of action with 1,000+ newsrooms nationwide. The goal is simple: Find your local news. Subscribe. Help others do the same. Start with the Local News Finder:

Accountability journalism can't happen without legal support. That's why @rcfp.org created the Local Legal Initiative — placing press attorneys across the country to serve local newsrooms for free. In PA, the LLI has made strides in protecting reporters and pushing for government transparency 🔎⚖️

Was happy to report on this for @lenfestinstitute.org www.lenfestinstitute.org/solutions-re...

As local news faces tough business realities, philanthropy has become an essential revenue stream. A new Wyncote Foundation report breaks down how philanthropy is powering successful digital publishers — and what it takes to build a sustainable newsroom. drive.google.com/file/d/1tKkj...

Teaching audiences about what nonprofit status means and why their support is essential is a key obstacle for new nonprofit news orgs. The Two River Times shares how it used audience research data to teach audiences about its business model and create membership campaigns that truly resonate.

What does it take to build and sustain a high-impact newsroom? The Lenfest News Philanthropy Network is hosting a sesion on April 9 with @spotlightpa.org on its growth and lessons on diversified fundraising, governance, and the economics of independent journalism.

🚨 The Lenfest Institute is hiring a part-time Communications Contractor to assist with day-to-day communications activities. In this role, you’ll help us coordinate grant announcements, manage press relationships, and support social media and newsletter production. Apply: