Grants

Invested philanthropy

The Lansing Journal is grateful for financial support from the following organizations, but also for the encouragement and advice they awarded along with their grants. We take their investment seriously and report returns that are measured in readership, reach, and community impact:

IL Back to Business – 2023 New Business Grant

The State of Illinois launched the Illinois Back to Business New Business Grant Program (B2B NewBiz) to provide financial relief to businesses in industries most impacted by the pandemic. Through a grant of $5,000, The Lansing Journal was able to hire and equip a part-time advertising sales representative for three months, with a goal of generating $8,000 in ad revenue to support the local journalism we provide.

LION (Local Independent Online News) Publishers – 2023 Sustainability Audit

Additional resource provided by the Google News Initiative and the Knight Foundation

The LION Sustainability Audit offered a clear assessment of the strength of our news business and practical next steps for increasing our organization’s long-term sustainability. Through a grant of $20,000 and an action plan customized to our organization, The Lansing Journal:

  • Developed new Lansing-specific merchandise to showcase community pride and help support local journalism
  • Launched a matching gift campaign that exceeded the goal and provided additional funding for local journalism
  • Launched a special campaign to recruit new Monthly Supporters who provide reliable income to fund local journalism

LION (Local Independent Online News) Publishers – 2023 Sustainability Lab

Additional resource provided by the Google News Initiative

The LION Sustainability Lab was an eight-week bootcamp designed to identify obstacles to The Lansing Journal’s long-term success and develop a personalized plan for overcoming those obstacles. The Lansing Journal emerged from the lab with a strategic staffing plan in place and $9,000 in funding.

If you are a philanthropist looking for a worthwhile investment in a hardworking team that is making a difference in an overlooked community, The Lansing Journal would love to begin a conversation with you. Please reach out to Founder and Publisher Melanie Jongsma:

Or make a gift directly through our online Support page by clicking the button below: