Skip to content
Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc at a glanceAlso receives grants: funding profile →

· Public charity

Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc

To strengthen the local news industry by helping independent news publishers build more sustainable businesses.

$3.9M
Granted FY2024still arriving
188
Grants FY2024still arriving
45
States reached
$80k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0195% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2021 to 2024.

Arts & Culture$3.7MEnvironment$1.4MCommunity Improvement$960kPublic Benefit$629kEducation$521kHealth$247kReligion$230kYouth Development$109kOther$0
02FY2024 · 188 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k2 grants · $13k
  • $10k–50k184 grants · $3.8M
  • $50k–250k2 grants · $160k
$20,000
Median grant
45
States reached
$8.9M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
Tiny News Collective$80,000
Institute for Nonprofit News$80,000
Coachella Valley Independent LLC$40,600
Alternative Newsweekly Foundation$40,000
MuckRock Foundation$27,600
Block Club Chicago Nfp$23,500
Spotlight PA$23,100
Canopy Atlanta Inc$23,100
Technically Media Inc$22,500
Borderless Magazine NFP$22,500
Verified News Network LLC$21,200
The Local Journalism Foundation Inc$21,200
Local Journalism Initiative$20,600
Advocate Foundation Inc dba Dallas$20,600
SmithBarbieri Progressive Fund A$20,600
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY22–23, $36k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%THE POLITICAL REPORT INC: $6k → 14%The Political Report Inc: $30k → 14%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

AK
ME
VT
NH
WA
ID
MT
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
NV
WY
SD
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
UT
CO
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
AZ
NM
KS
TN
NC
SC
DC
HI
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
TX
FL
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

44%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$3.9M · 92 repeat orgs$4.9M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +35% since the first grant, against +28% for those funded once.

92 repeat relationships: 40 still active in FY2024, 52 since wound down; 146 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

92
98

Total granted

$3.9M
$1.9M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+35%
+28%

Still filing today

60%
33%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 24% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $3.0M went to new ones.

50%100%’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’21’22’23’24
Arts & CultureEducationPublic BenefitCommunity ImprovementCivil RightsPhilanthropyOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • TT
    The Tiny News Collective Inc
    3× · 2022–2024 · $145k · revenue +144%
  • INSTITUTE FOR NONPROFIT NEWS
    3× · 2022–2024 · $131k · revenue +21%
  • IC
    Informed California Foundation DBA - Open Vallejo
    4× · 2021–2024 · $109k · revenue +69% · 28% of their budget

Funded once

  • NR
    NEWS REVENUE HUB INC
    one grant, 2022 · $50k · revenue -39%
  • T0
    The 016 LLC
    one grant, 2023 · $35k
  • FM
    Fresnoland Media
    one grant, 2023 · $35k · revenue -13%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Press Watch

To educate journalists and the public, and foster public debate, about improving political journalism to reflect public needs and hold the powerful accountable.

—
2
Nc Local Inc

Expands local news across North Carolina

Civil Rights
3
Trusting News Inc

Trusting News improves the quality of news reporting by studying trust in news and training and coaching journalists to demonstrate credibility and actively earn trust. Their work equips thousands of journalists every year to better…

Arts & Culture
4
Citizens News Guild Inc

Citizens news guild educates the public by publishing non-partisan state and local news.

Community Improvement
5
Journalism New England

The organization is non-profit organization working to build and sustain local news and ensure that local news organizations across new england are supported with the kinds of tailored problem-solving, training and partnerships they need…

Civil Rights
6
Swampscott Tides Inc

online local newspaper

Arts & Culture
7
Institute for the Advancement of Journalistic Clarity

To provide credible reporting and commentary on its website (counterpunch.org) and through its podcast, helping readers make informed and balanced assessments - vital for a healthy democratic society - on the public issues of the day.

Arts & Culture
8
Rebuild Local News

To advance public policies to counter the collapse of local news, revitalize community journalism, and strengthen democracy.

Education
9
The Conversationalist
—
10
Owen News Project Inc

Our mission is to deliver reliable and unbiased local news and information to empower our readers and build a stronger community. We work to fill the news gap within Owen County while increasing overall media literacy within our community.

Arts & Culture
11
Center for Austin Independent Journalism

To equip Austinites to make informed decisions through independent, in-depth reporting, diverse opinions, and civil dialogue. A strong local press is essential for a healthy community and democracy. We work to make Austin a more empowered…

Arts & Culture
12
CalMatters

Our team of experienced journalists, with the time and resources to dig deep, is committed to meaningfully informing Californians about the players, politics, and interests that shape the issues that affect their lives.

Civil Rights
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Springfield Daily Citizen Inc; the most unlike its peers is Amsterdam News Educational Foundation Inc. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

155 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 155 of the 339 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

8
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
39
Early backer (in before they grew)
155/155
Grantees still filing
88/155
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

+114 more: $3,150,035 · Other+114 moreThe Tiny News Collective Inc: $145,000 · Arts & CultureThe Tiny News Collective IncIndependent Arts & Media: $85,000 · Arts & CultureMISSISSIPPI JOURNALISM AND EDUCATION GROUP: $84,150 · Arts & CultureBorderless Magazine NFP: $76,500 · Arts & CultureSOUTHERLY: $68,000 · Arts & Culture+52 more: $1,428,157 · Arts & Culture+52 moreINSTITUTE FOR NONPROFIT NEWS: $131,000 · EducationINSTITUTE FO…Informed California Foundation DBA - Open Vallejo: $109,000 · EducationInformed Cal…LINKING COMMUNITY NOW INC: $71,500 · EducationLINKING COMM…WAUSAU PILOT AND REVIEW CORPORATION: $53,250 · EducationWAUSAU PILOT…Canopy Atlanta: $38,100 · EducationCanopy Atlan…THE LENS: $29,000 · EducationSAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC PRESS: $26,500 · EducationNEW YORK FOCUS INC: $26,000 · EducationBLOCK CLUB CHICAGO NFP: $23,500 · EducationSPOTLIGHT PA: $23,100 · Education+7 more: $141,200 · Education+7 moreFORT WORTH REPORT: $83,000 · Public BenefitThe Bedford Citizen Inc: $35,600 · Public BenefitCARDINAL PRODUCTIONS INC: $27,300 · Public BenefitCITY LIMITS NEWS INC: $26,000 · Public BenefitTHE CENTER FOR MICHIGAN: $21,300 · Public BenefitMUCKROCK FOUNDATION INC: $87,101 · Civil RightsALTERNATIVE NEWSWEEKLY FOUNDATION: $40,000 · Civil RightsCAPITAL OF TEXAS MEDIA FOUNDATION: $26,000 · Civil RightsEL CENTRO HISPANO INC: $62,500 · Community ImprovementCENTER FOR COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP: $51,000 · Community ImprovementNORTH STATE COMMUNITY JOURNALISM PROJECT: $22,167 · Community ImprovementAdvocate Foundation Inc: $111,900 · Philanthropy
Other$3,150,035Arts & Culture$1,886,807Education$672,150Public Benefit$193,200Civil Rights$153,101Community Improvement$135,667Philanthropy$111,900

Showing the 200 largest grantees by grant value.

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetThe Tiny News Collective Inc: $145,000 over 3y, 2.5% of budgetINSTITUTE FOR NONPROFIT NEWS: $131,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetAdvocate Foundation Inc: $111,900 over 3y, 16% of budgetInformed California Foundation DBA - Open Vallejo: $109,000 over 4y, 28% of budgetGREY MATTER MEDIA LLC: $89,000 over 3y, 61% of budgetMUCKROCK FOUNDATION INC: $87,101 over 3y, 1.2% of budgetIndependent Arts & Media: $85,000 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetMISSISSIPPI JOURNALISM AND EDUCATION GROUP: $84,150 over 4y, 9.8% of budgetFORT WORTH REPORT: $83,000 over 2y, 2.6% of budgetBorderless Magazine NFP: $76,500 over 4y, 13% of budgetLINKING COMMUNITY NOW INC: $71,500 over 4y, 29% of budgetSOUTHERLY: $68,000 over 2y, 29% of budgetEL CENTRO HISPANO INC: $62,500 over 3y, 0.8% of budgetWAUSAU PILOT AND REVIEW CORPORATION: $53,250 over 3y, 18% of budgetSan Jose News Bureau: $51,500 over 3y, 3.4% of budgetCENTER FOR COMMUNITY STEWARDSHIP: $51,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetNEWS REVENUE HUB INC: $49,910 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetTHE CURRENT MEDIA INC: $45,500 over 3y, 5.7% of budgetOUTLIER MEDIA: $43,499 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetVERMONT JOURNALISM TRUST LTD: $41,300 over 2y, 0.8% of budgetFOUNDATION FOR LOS ANGELES JOURNALISM: $40,000 over 1y, 2.8% of budgetALTERNATIVE NEWSWEEKLY FOUNDATION: $40,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetCENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY NEWS INC: $39,348 over 2y, 34% of budgetCIVICLEX INCORPORATED: $38,200 over 3y, 5.0% of budgetCanopy Atlanta: $38,100 over 3y, 4.9% of budgetTHE APPEAL INC: $37,300 over 2y, 3.3% of budgetTHE POLITICAL REPORT INC: $36,300 over 2y, 7.2% of budgetThe Bedford Citizen Inc: $35,600 over 2y, 9.4% of budgetLocal Reporting Lab Initiative Inc: $35,000 over 2y, 5.8% of budgetTHE RED HOOK DAILY CATCH INC: $35,000 over 2y, 15% of budgetFresnoland Media: $35,000 over 1y, 4.4% of budgetSCRIBE VIDEO CENTER INC: $31,020 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetFOUR POINTS MEDIA INC: $31,000 over 2y, 12% of budgetMONTANA FREE PRESS: $29,800 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetTucson Investigative Reporting Center Inc: $29,600 over 2y, 4.2% of budgetJACKSON HOLE COMMUNITY RADIO INC: $29,000 over 2y, 3.1% of budgetTHE LENS: $29,000 over 2y, 3.1% of budgetBEACON MEDIA INC: $27,500 over 2y, 1.1% of budgetCARDINAL PRODUCTIONS INC: $27,300 over 1y, 2.1% of budgetNew Mexico In Depth Inc: $27,300 over 2y, 4.4% of budgetBAY CITY NEWS FOUNDATION: $27,000 over 2y, 4.2% of budgetSAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC PRESS: $26,500 over 2y, 4.7% of budgetSanta Cruz Local Inc: $26,300 over 1y, 6.3% of budgetCITY LIMITS NEWS INC: $26,000 over 2y, 1.8% of budgetecoRI Inc: $26,000 over 2y, 4.7% of budgetADVOCATE MEDIA - DALLAS INC: $26,000 over 2y, 1.1% of budgetCAPITAL OF TEXAS MEDIA FOUNDATION: $26,000 over 2y, 3.9% of budgetHarpswell News: $26,000 over 2y, 5.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Institute for Nonprof…The Miami Foundation …The Groundtruth Proje…The Lenfest Institute…Alternative Newsweekl…Solutions Journalism …American Journalism P…Local Media Associati…Inasmuch FoundationAmerican Press Instit…Fund for Investigativ…John S and James L Kn…
Institute for Nonprofit NewsCA219.6× affinity125 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Institute for Nonprofit News · The Miami Foundation Inc · The Groundtruth Project Inc · The Lenfest Institute for Journalism Special Asset Fund of Tpf · Alternative Newsweekly Foundation · Solutions Journalism Network Inc · American Journalism Project Inc · Local Media Association · Inasmuch Foundation · American Press Institute Inc · Fund for Investigative Journalism Inc · John S and James L Knight Foundation

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 150%5%19%42%75%funder's share of their income ↑0%1%3%4%5%share of the org’s income from government →median 0%
  • Vermont Journalism Trust Ltd: 0% of income from government
  • Central Florida Community News Inc: 0% of income from government
  • Local Journalism Initiative Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
15get no government money at all
10report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–5%
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 339 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Local Independent Online News Publishers’ filings →

More from the funding graph

The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home