Over the past 10 years, NewsMatch has been a powerful tool for INN members to build capacity and skills to acquire and diversify donors.
Now, as INN members individually and the field broadly mature, it’s time for NewsMatch to evolve, too.
In 2027, INN will pilot NewsMatch Catalyst Campaigns, supporting a select group of INN members as they test new fundraising strategies, deepen donor engagement and build toward long-term sustainability.
The year-end campaign that INN members know and rely on isn’t going anywhere, but NewsMatch is expanding beyond that single moment, offering new opportunities for members to run donor matching and challenge campaigns throughout the year.
Organizations will have the opportunity to submit their campaign ideas via an application that will open in January 2027. NewsMatch will be looking for ideas that enable INN members to experiment with or do something differently than their standard fundraising approach to generate individual donations. Selected organizations will receive $20,000 to support their campaign ideas.
“For more than ten years, NewsMatch has helped newsrooms build fundraising skills and donor bases that keep independent news flourishing,” said Courtney Lewis, INN’s Chief of Growth Programs. “Now, we’re offering an opportunity to members to explore what’s possible by testing new ideas, taking risks, and charting the course for the entire field.”
