Honors a young organization (publishing for less than three years) for establishing strong support of their journalism throughout the community and the revenue growth to sustain it.

2026 Award Winner

The Richmonder

The Richmonder, which covers Virginia’s capital city, had strong footing when it launched in 2024. It started with a three-person team but grew significantly without taking on debt, a judge said. 

The publication’s launch can also be a model, a judge said, noting approaches or wins worth replicating: “community listening in all nine districts, a clearly defined editorial approach, accountability reporting, and enough momentum to hire more staff.”

The Richmonder “started with solid finances, has received substantial additional funds, has significantly grown its audience, and is out in the community consistently,” one judge said. 

The news outlet’s launch was “well-planned,” another judge said. The Richmonder has “an experienced small staff with a well-stated mission and intense community engagement.” 

That effort has paid off, the judge continued, “in increasing unique visits,1,200 individual donors, a major grant and reasonable growth.

“This is an excellent model for a start-up, showing that a focus on the news needs of a community fosters local support that can be sustaining.”

Finalists

• Oxford Free Press
• Verite News