Meet the first Catalyst Fund cohort: Nine news organizations will accelerate growth, sustainability, and innovation

The News Revenue Hub is excited to introduce the first cohort of newsrooms participating in the Catalyst Fund — an initiative made possible by a major investment from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Designed to help high-potential organizations grow, experiment, and build more sustainable futures, the Catalyst Fund represents a deeper investment in newsroom capacity at a pivotal moment for independent news.

In this initial round, nine news organizations are partnering with the Hub across two tracks: Growth and Innovation.

“This fund is about more than short-term gains,” said Evan Mackinder, EVP of Business Development at the News Revenue Hub. “It’s about giving newsrooms the time, support, and strategic partnership they need to build systems that last.”

Together, the selected organizations represent a mix of nonprofit and for-profit models, local and national reach, and a shared commitment to strengthening the role of journalism in their communities.

Growth Track: Building stronger revenue and audience foundations

Seven newsrooms will work closely with the Hub to strengthen their reader revenue programs and build the foundation for more diversified, resilient business models. Participants include Charlottesville Tomorrow, City Cast, Mississippi Free Press, Sahan Journal, The 19th, The Sick Times, and The Stranger.

Each newsroom will be paired with a dedicated Hub expert, bringing deep experience in audience and revenue strategy. Together, they’ll set ambitious goals, build campaigns that convert readers into supporters, and develop systems that support long-term sustainability — including, for some, major donor development.

The Catalyst Fund provides subsidized support. Investment levels are tailored to newsroom size, with smaller and mid-size newsrooms receiving greater support. This approach allows the Hub to meet organizations where they are, while ensuring each partnership is deep enough to drive meaningful results.

“This is what it looks like to invest in infrastructure, not just ideas,” Mackinder said. “We’re working side-by-side with these teams to build the kind of revenue systems that can sustain journalism for the long haul.”

The need — and opportunity — for this work is clear. Across the Hub network in 2025, member organizations saw a median 10.3% year-over-year revenue growth, collectively raised $33 million from more than 206,000 contributors, and generated an average 13x return on investment from Hub consulting support.

This cohort is positioned to build on that momentum.

For some, the timing is especially critical. In Minneapolis, Sahan Journal has seen an influx of new readers and contributors following the ICE occupation earlier this year — making strong, community-centered revenue strategies that sustain impactful journalism more important than ever.

The 19th, a nonprofit newsroom focused on gender, politics, policy, and power, is also at a pivotal moment. In commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, the newsroom is launching an ambitious project reexamining the country’s founding.

And in San Francisco, El Tecolote — one of the city’s oldest bilingual newspapers — will work with the Hub to better understand its audience, strengthen engagement strategies, and build a more effective foundation for long-term growth.

Innovation Track: Testing what’s next

Heartland Signal is the first newsroom to join the Catalyst Fund’s Innovation Track.

The Innovation Track is designed to support ambitious, clearly defined projects that push the boundaries of sustainability, audience connection, and newsroom operations. Each participating newsroom will partner with the Hub over a 6–12 month period to develop, test, and refine a single high-impact idea.

Through this partnership, Heartland Signal will work with the Hub to test how AI-powered, personalized newsletters can reach trusted local voices and extend quality journalism deeper into the communities it serves across the Midwest. The project will focus not just on technology, but on strategy — building a scalable model for audience growth that other newsrooms can learn from.

Just the beginning

The Catalyst Fund is designed to do more than support individual newsrooms. Each engagement is an opportunity to generate insights, refine strategies, and build models that can be shared across the field.

Additional rounds of both the Growth and Innovation tracks will open later this year, continuing to invest in newsrooms ready to grow — and contribute to a more sustainable future for local news.

For nearly a decade, the News Revenue Hub has helped news organizations turn audience trust into revenue and resilience. With support from Knight Foundation, the Catalyst Fund builds on that foundation — offering deeper investment at pivotal moments of opportunity.

To learn more about the Catalyst Fund and receive updates on the next round of applications, reach out to Evan Mackinder ([email protected]).