5 things nonprofits can learn from the news biz
News organizations have been through a LOT and have a thing or five to teach nonprofits about community, revenue, innovation, metrics and more.
“What are some unique innovations that nonprofit news could export to the greater nonprofit sector?” Tristan Loper, who runs national programs at the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, asked that question on LinkedIn last week.
I love this question. It’s the theme of a poster session I successfully pitched to Comnet 2024 back in April.
This question matters nonprofits are facing existential crises and threats.
There are (literally) millions of nonprofit organizations in the US. It’s pointless to speak of nonprofits as a single entity; the sector contains multitudes.
But a comparison with the news sector is apt. News organizations (nonprofit and other) faced existential threats 20 years ago. Many closed. Many are still closing. But the sector has evolved and is clawing its way back as nonprofit, member-driven news organizations, creator journalism, newsletters, podcasts and more find their way to people’s screens, inboxes and headphones.
5 Lessons for Nonprofits
Here's the gist of my current thinking on what nonprofits can learn from news organizations.
Turn to community
Today’s news organizations don’t just engage the community. They’re part of it. They act on the needs of the community, actively help, and listen. Take seriously membership, it’s revenue, it’s ideas and participation.
Completely rethink measurement
Old metrics (things like ad sales, subscriptions, print runs, even pageviews) died so success needed to be measured in new ways so that meaningful programs could be built. Nonprofits measure pageviews, email addresses on a list and message clicks - all largely useless metrics if nonprofits care about impact or their own sustainability.
Be a sponge
Those who lasted (or grew from nothing) have been willing to learn from other fields, change models and test. The nonprofit sector often resists absorption. ;-)
Take revenue diversity seriously
In the past many news organizations relied on a single source. This is true for many/most nonprofits now. Use all the above to build or revive membership programs, find and reach new audiences, improve supporter loyalty, and develop revenue programs that work for you and your community. All of which are practices news organizations have been taking seriously in recent years.
Support infrastructure for communications, development and leadership training
I see news sector foundations, donors and intermediaries investing in the capacity building needed to grow reader revenue, membership, and the leadership skills needed to meld together journalism, innovation and testing. Under investment in mentorship, capacity building and training by the broader nonprofit sector drives out diverse ideas, stymies innovation and drives out people career growth.