The American Press Institute (API) has awarded $5,000 grants to eight news organizations, including The Atlanta Voice, as part of its 2025 Revenue Experiments Learning Cohort. The cohort aims to support local and community-based news outlets in evolving and iterating their current revenue experiments, with the ultimate goal of building sustainable and innovative business models for journalism.
The initiative, which is part of API’s ongoing efforts to foster a culture of experimentation in local newsrooms, will offer the eight selected organizations the opportunity to collaborate with their peers through learning calls and shared strategies. By sharing ideas and defining effective tactics, the grantees will be able to mitigate the risks associated with exploring new revenue avenues and maximize their chances of success.
“The Table Stakes program and API share the goal of supporting a culture of experimentation in news organizations. These grants will mitigate the risk of exploring new avenues of revenue for these eight organizations, and the lessons they learn will benefit the industry more widely,” said Emily Ristow, API’s Director of Journalism Strategy.
The Table Stakes Local News Transformation Program—a key component of the cohort—helps news organizations advance innovations through intensive change-management training. API manages a network of over 200 alumni organizations from the Table Stakes program, ensuring that news leaders remain connected to best practices from across the industry.
One of the grant recipients, The Atlanta Voice, will use its funding to launch “Legacy of Legends,” a campaign that will highlight the achievements of African American entrepreneurs and businesses in Atlanta. This project will focus on increasing community engagement and attracting advertisers, with the goal of producing multi-platform coverage that celebrates local Black history and culture.
Other recipients include:
- Bangor Daily News (Maine) will launch a premium newsletter focused on Maine politics, including an in-person event and paid social media promotions.
- Boise State Public Radio (Idaho) will experiment with paid marketing for its podcasts aimed at attracting younger audiences, paired with new donor platforms for younger generations.
- Henrico Citizen (Virginia) will reintroduce Henrico Restaurant Week as a popular local event, supported by marketing efforts targeting sponsors, restaurants, and community members.
- LAist (California) will implement on-article payment tools and A/B testing to make it easier for readers to donate directly from articles.
- The News Reporter (North Carolina) will build a new three-camera studio to enhance its video production capabilities and attract new sponsorships.
- The Salt Lake Tribune (Utah) will develop a new sponsored event franchise to generate ongoing community engagement and revenue.
- QCity Metro (North Carolina) will install small TVs in local restaurants and shops to display news content and advertising.
The grants are funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund, which is dedicated to strengthening local journalism by supporting innovative models for sustainability and equity. Through these grants, API continues its mission to provide tools and resources for news organizations to adapt to the changing media landscape and thrive in the future.
As part of this initiative, API will continue to support news organizations with guidance on successful revenue models, content strategies, and audience development.
