July 6, 2021

Thanks to the renewed support of the Park Foundation for this year, 12 news organizations have joined the cohort of INN members that are expanding their giving programs through INN’s Major Gifts Program — aiming for the 2,400% growth in new revenue* achieved by newsrooms that have completed the program. Now in its fourth year, this initiative is an extraordinary opportunity for small groups to work with a top national coach to develop an entire major gifts program, materials and cultivation practices with a depth usually only available with significant investment in a custom fundraising consultant. 

In 2021, these 12 nonprofit newsrooms will go beyond the traditional basket of workshops and training materials to set-up donor visits (virtually), share their impact with donors and make the ask for major gifts.  

“The curiosity and persistence that journalists bring to their investigative work are exactly the skills required for major gift work,” says Diane Remin, coach of INN’s Major Gifts Program and president at MajorDonors.com. “What is missing are the tools and training that journalists need in order to have the confidence to go talk with their donors—and ask for a gift.”

INN’s Major Gifts Program launched in 2018 to increase major donor gifts to nonprofit newsrooms with training, tools and donor program development practices. The program is exclusively for INN member organizations, and this year’s cohort is the largest yet: Center for Health Journalism at USC, City Bureau, El Centro de Periodismo Investigativo, Flint Beat, Fort Worth Report, Indian Country Today, Outlier Media, Religion News Service, San José Spotlight, Searchlight New Mexico, The Counter and Type Investigations (Type Media Center).

“These innovative, inspiring leaders are the faces of journalism’s future — they’re creating it. We congratulate members selected for the 2021 Major Gifts Program cohort. And we appreciate the enormous talent and drive they bring to their newsrooms,” said Sue Cross, executive director and CEO of the Institute for Nonprofit News. 

The Major Gift Program is made possible by the support of the Park Foundation—which recently renewed their investment toward the 2021 Major Gifts Program cohort—and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as well as INN’s general support funders.

* ROI based on the net / cost of investment as outlined in our 2019 Case Study.