The Index is the most comprehensive study of the state of nonprofit news.
As the nonprofit news field rapidly changes and grows, INN tracks and studies what’s happening behind-the-scenes. Through exploring Index data, you can learn what drives nonprofit news, how it’s funded, who it serves, and how we can continue expanding sources of high-quality information for the public.
Index Reports and Fact Sheets
In the past, some observers have wondered whether a growing nonprofit news sector could be matched by growing capital support. But, new data from the INN Index 2023, the sixth annual survey of nonprofit news organizations across North America, suggest that as the nonprofit journalism field expands, the resources to sustain this field are expanding, too.
This Index Snapshot offers a broad look at the nonprofit news sector’s trends, opportunities and challenges. A deeper and more complete Index Report focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion will be released in summer 2023.
The Index Snapshot describes a robust field, increasing in capacity and influence, according to a variety of indicators – including the numbers of INN members, total revenue, philanthropic revenue and staffing size.
The 2022 INN Index Report shows that the nonprofit news sector largely weathered the threats and disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic and continues a growth cycle of more than a decade.
Local nonprofit news is in the midst of a multiyear expansion into more communities, and the number of organizations has more than doubled in five years.
Single-topic organizations represent one-fifth of the nonprofit news field. This niche group has quadrupled in number since 2008, fueled in part by success in attracting foundation support.
Digging into how the nonprofit news sector changed over time? Since 2017, INN’s research team has been surveying this evolving sector. See below for archived reports.
Want Index data for your research project, journalism course, or assessment? Please complete this data request form, and a member of our team will be in touch.
Have other questions about the Index or nonprofit news data? Reach out to Emily Roseman, INN’s research director at emily.r@inn.org.
For media related inquiries about the INN Index, please contact news@inn.org.
Fans of the Index
The Index acts as a compass for the field. But don’t take it from us — here are a few examples of how the Index data is used across different sectors.
“Understanding life in the long tail is really important as news ecosystems redefine themselves in the digital age. The Index was an important springboard for us to evaluate the UK landscape for independent news, to further understand the complex parameters of sustainable journalism. The opportunities for comparative international research are rare.”
— Clare Cook, Public Interest News Foundation
“We are trying to rebuild America’s access to the local news and information that communities and our democracy rely on, and the INN Index is a vital tool to understand this emerging sector. The Index helps us listen to the nonprofit news field and ensure our strategies and grantmaking are making a positive impact.”
— Josh Stearns, Democracy Fund
“At INN, we are only as strong as our network of member organizations. As the nonprofit new field continues to grow and strengthen, we’d hope to see some problems be solved while new challenges emerge. The Index helps to signal these shifts and evolve INN programs like NewsMatch to better serve what newsrooms need today.”
— Courtney Hurtt, NewsMatch
“As a nonprofit newsroom, we have long tracked how our work resonates with readers. The Index Report provides us with a critical tool to compare our organization to similarly situated news outlets. This kind of evaluation allows us to have meaningful conversations and set realistic goals as we continue to grow our newsroom.”
— Nichole Dobo, The Hechinger Report
More of INN’s research
INN provides actionable research on nonprofit journalism for our members, partners and the wider field. Our research captures the progress and setbacks across the nonprofit news field and highlights the best practices and success stories that emerge from our members.
