Nonprofit News & the INN Network

Who’s Your Source?

The Institute for Nonprofit News leads the INN Network – about 475 independent, nonpartisan news organizations providing high quality journalism as a public service.

Nonprofit newsrooms that belong to the INN Network are your source for accurate, credible reporting driven by facts, not opinions.

That’s because they answer to one bottom line: the truth. 

Nonprofit news is created for, supported by, and committed to the communities it serves. Through reporters who have deep community ties and topical expertise, nonprofit news elevates untold stories, exposes wrongdoing, and provides the facts we need to make informed decisions. And because most of this content is available without paywalls or subscription fees, nonprofit news makes essential information available to everyone  – not just those who can afford it.

Why does it matter for a community to have a trusted source of news? Because research shows that when people follow local news sources closely, they are more likely to vote in local elections, to vote across party lines and to feel attached to their communities. And at the state and local level, nonprofit news organizations focus on the investigative reporting that holds those in power to account.

The INN Network is an alliance of news organizations committed to shared values that advance excellence in journalism, trust between the press and the public it serves, and best practices for the nonprofit news field.

What does INN membership mean? INN members:

• Form as 501c(3) organizations or similar structures to provide news as a charitable service or public good.
• Set and meet membership standards that demonstrate journalistic quality, editorial independence and public transparency around the sources of their funding and their control.
• Avoid advocating for policies or causes other than the right of all people to freedom of information and speech.
• Work to build a more inclusive news media that represents the communities it serves.
• Collaborate and share content to expand the public benefit of the stories they report.

By the numbers

475+ nonprofit news organizations across North America sharing content with about 20,000 media outlets

3 in 10 member staff are

people of color

More than half of executives

are women

Over 200% membership growth since 2017

Trusted, reliable journalism is essential to the fabric of our societies. It holds the powerful to account. It inspires individuals to engage, volunteer, and vote. It protects our vulnerable democracy. 

Join us in creating a robust and equitable future for journalism.

Support NONPROFIT NEWS

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Are you from a foundation or corporation and looking for ways to get more engaged with INN and the field? Let’s talk about:

• general support for INN and the crucial resources we offer the field
• elevating topical and/or regional coverage through our editorial collaborations
• leveraging your investment through NewsMatch, our collective fundraising effort
• sponsorship of events, including our annual INN Days, the premier gathering of the nonprofit news field.

Chief Development Officer

Lisa Gardner-Springer

Lisa Gardner-Springer leads development initiatives benefiting nonprofit newsrooms that are members of INN and make up the fastest growing news network in North America.

Contact

Get our Who’s your source? presentation

Elevate the story of nonprofit news with our Who’s your source? presentation — a free, customizable slide deck that describes the nonprofit news movement and shows how the INN Network has become a source for most American news consumers.