July 17, 2023

This year, INN’s research team launched a new service called “Index Pods,”  based on data from the annual INN Index survey, to give member news organizations better benchmarking data and more targeted peer connections. 

Pods leverages the Index survey data INN members send in each year to identify distinct groups of nonprofit news organizations  – from hyperlocal community connectors to large investigative powerhouses. This new service is a response to the rapid growth of the nonprofit news sector, particularly among INN’s local members, enabling INN to better support the distinct missions, revenue models, and needs of our varied 425+ member newsrooms. 

By taking coverage areas and segmenting organizations into those that are startups, established organizations, and “heavyweights,” INN created 12 peer groups for the purposes of benchmarking revenue, staffing, and audience goals.

Today, INN is releasing Pods benchmarking data for members who completed the INN Index survey in January 2023, covering CY2022. (Members: access your free data and contact us if you cannot find the password sent via email.)

This year, INN’s main goal for Index Pods is to give members the benchmarking data and peer community they need to set smart revenue, staffing, and audience goals and inform their goal-setting or strategic planning – both with the data and through discussions and intelligence sharing with their peers. This past spring, INN’s research team virtually convened each Pod to introduce members to their group of similar organizations and collect member feedback on the data they need to make strategic decisions within their organizations. Looking ahead, INN intends to incorporate a mentorship and training component into the program. Our hope for the future

Please reach out to INN’s research associate, Ha Ta, if you’d like to request access or learn more about the program. 

This blog post was initially published on INNsights, INN’s Medium publication.