Chapter Guide Resource
Introduction to Fundraising for Investigative Journalism
The funding process is similar to investigative journalism: you must write a compelling narrative that makes the reader understand the importance of your work.
Resource Center
GIJN’s Resource Center is here to help journalists expand their knowledge and skills. The Center holds more than 2,000 items in 14 languages – from tip sheets and guides to instructional videos. Use the menu on the right to navigate it or the search box below to find topics you’re interested in.
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Resource Video
GIJC23 – Masterclass: Digging into Digital Advertising
More than $550 billion was spent on digital ads last year — on everything from banners and video ads to sponsored tweets and pop-ups of every sort. What’s behind this mega-business? The systems used to buy and sell digital ads are vast, complicated, poorly understood, and rife with fraud and deception.
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GIJC23 – Lightning Round Favorite Tools & Techniques
Lightning rounds are among the most popular sessions at our global conferences. The presentations are short — about five minutes — so we fit in as many as a dozen speakers, one after another. Favorite Tools & Techniques showcases investigative methods and apps that may have escaped your notice. It’s impossible to fit all the […]
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GIJC23 – Freelancing Survival Tips
Freelancing is a tough job; investigative freelancing is even harder. But it also brings independence and the ability to pick your projects. Here are tips from journalists from four countries with decades of experience in working on their own. ———————– The Global Investigative Journalism Network is an international association of journalism organizations that support the […]
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GIJC23 – Exiled Media: Survival Strategies
The recent rise of nakedly autocratic regimes has ballooned the number of independent newsrooms forced to report from exile. These watchdogs-in-exile have shown enterprise and innovation in providing critical news to the homeland. But good journalism is not enough. It’s hard enough to succeed in the media back home, but how do exiled media survive […]
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GIJC23 – Developing a Business Strategy (Part 2)
Did you know that most start-ups fail? That includes well-meaning non-profit news outlets. What’s often missing is a business strategy. Developing a viable and effective business plan is essential for media organizations, a necessary foundation for sustainability and growth — indeed, for an organization’s very survival. Join this workshop to hear how to do it […]
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GIJC23 – Developing a Business Strategy (Part 1)
Investigative journalism can’t survive without sustainable media organizations. Many were hard hit by changing business models and the loss of advertising revenue, and then the media was hit again during the pandemic, despite record-breaking audiences. What revenue options are currently the most viable and why, and how do we develop methods that will lead to […]
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GIJC23 – How AI Can Save Small Newsrooms
Do you have too little time to do investigative stories? Try L-ai-la, the new AI research assistant, trained to find news fit to print. (You may be both lazy & forgetful, but Laila never misses a story.) Is this about GPT4? Generative AI? No, forget about it. We are talking about LHF (the LowHangingFruit AI […]
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Measuring and Increasing the Effects of Investigative Journalism
Watchdog reporting makes a critical contribution to society by exposing wrongdoing, fighting corruption, and promoting accountability. But how do we measure this, and explain to a skeptical public the value of investigative reporting? At a time of unprecedented attacks on the press, a broken financial model, and low public trust, it is critical to understand […]
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How Independent Journalism Is Filling Gaps in the European Media Landscape
A new generation of intrepid news organizations is rising across Europe – one that is strongly committed to serving its audience and democracy alike through public interest journalism. A new report by Netzwerk Recherche outlines this emerging innovative media scene and takes a closer look at how this New Sector reclaims journalistic terrain that traditional media has abandoned.
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Demonstrating Investigative Impact: More Reading
American Press Institute Metrics for News Gauging the Global Impacts of the ‘Panama Papers’ Three Years Later How to build a metrics-savvy newsroom Big Impact: A Pocket-Guide to the Financial Benefits of Major Investigations How an impact and reach scorecard helps Carolina Public Press gut-check its journalism What Makes a Good Metric? Media change deniers: […]
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Demonstrating Investigative Impact: Essential Reading
Investigative journalism shines a light into dark corners of human, corporate and government behaviour and prompts corrective action and so, better societies. Yet it is hard to prove this impact – increasingly necessary as donors want to know the impact of the work they sponsor. Here are ways to show and measure your value, and […]
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Other Sources of Income: Blockchain and Cryptocurrency
The media and the Blockchain – hype or hope? Can Blockchain Save Journalism? Civil to sell millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency to fund a global network of newsrooms Blockchain – it’s early days but never too early for publishers to get involved Goodbye, Denver Post. Hello, Blockchain Blockchain: What’s in it for the news […]
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Other Sources of Income: Micropayments
Why micropayments aren’t dead … yet How to make your digital readers want to pay — from micropayments to social media subscriptions Global Editors Network In Winnipeg, micropayments aren’t generating big money, but they’re serving as a top-of-the-funnel strategy Like the changing of the seasons, publishers (again) turn to micropayments
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Other Sources of Income: Podcasts
8 ways publishers are making money from podcasts The Publisher’s Guide to Podcasting: Report Download Radio & Audio Grantmaking: Reaching New Audiences Through Old Platforms The Future of Podcasting is Subscription — Lessons from the History of Media How the Guardian is making podcasts pay off With Big Stars and Paid Subscriptions, Luminary Aims to […]
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Commercial Revenue: Syndication, Publishing Partnerships, Rights Sales
Investigative journalism startup uses mobile gaming to finance its future The News Industry Could Learn a Thing or Two from Netflix CIR began pitching investigative stories to newspapers. It’s working on Hollywood now, too 101 Reporters connects journalists across India with media organizations that need their stories BuzzFeed has a new business model, so it’s […]
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Audience Engagement and Revenue: Events
The art of hosting meaningful engagement events Todd Milbourn and Lisa Heyamoto Tips on Holding Live Events That Support Journalism How to Launch a Successful Events Business How To Use Community Media And Storytelling Events To Attract Donors To Your Nonprofit The New York Times is ramping up conference calls for subscribers that are run […]
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Audience Engagement and Revenue: Newsletters
To keep readers after COVID publishers see hope in newsletters and podcasts How Indiegraaf helped launch 6 local news outlets during COVID-19 Newsletters Are Crucial for Reader Loyalty. Here’s How to Make the Most of Them. Not a newsletter monthly guide Newsletter Strategy Positioning Brief How newsletter innovations are driving publisher revenue What’s News in […]
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Commercial Revenue: Advertising
Broken internet ad system makes it easy to earn money with plagiarism US digital advertising exceeded $100B in 2018 Tech Crunch Exploring alternative funding models for the web Mozilla Guide to Advertising Technology Tow Center Journalists are rightly suspicious of ad tech. They also depend on it. CJR What’s New in Publishing 50 ideas for making […]
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Commercial Revenue: Subscription/Paywalls – Case Studies
Why The Information’s paywall strategy is so successful How many paying subscribers do you need to keep a money-losing magazine afloat? Arkansas Life finds out Nieman Lab What Product-Market Fit in Subscription Journalism Looks Like The Ken 2018 has been a record-breaking year for journalism Kickstarters (though only about 1 in 5 actually get funded) Nieman […]
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Commercial Revenue: Subscription/Paywalls
7 ways COVID has impacted subscription strategies How to build a good reader revenue model: lessons from Spain and the UK “Not only can membership save journalism, but will do so by helping it evolve”: Why publishers are looking beyond subscriptions Why the subscription model may not work for you How The Economist has tripled […]
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Commercial Revenue: More Reading
Why journalism should be unhooked from commercial funding models Fortnite’s battle with Apple and Google could have an impact on news publishers, too A useful guide for news organisations assessing revenue-making opportunities in small teams Engaged Journalism How The Washington Post’s User Lab balances advertiser and subscriber demands Digiday What it takes to shift a […]
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Commercial Revenue: Essential Reading
Commercial income takes many forms and can either provide additional funds for nonprofit journalism organizations or even full funding. These include advertising and subscription, among others: Google News Initiative and INN release Nonprofit News Guide to Earned Revenue A comprehensive “playbook” showing nonprofit newsrooms how to grow revenue from display advertising, event sponsorships, sponsored content, and […]
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Audience Engagement and Revenue: Case Studies
Memberkit 101: Upgrade your analytics and build a data-powered membership program The power of innovative longform journalism online: 5 standout examples Audience research at The Atlantic: How we use it – and what we don’t expect it to do for us ‘ThinkIn’ outside the box: how publishers are using member exclusive conversations to add value […]
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Audience Engagement and Revenue: More Reading
Four lessons from a new generation of Instagram editors in local newsrooms How newsrooms can begin making data-informed membership decisions 231 ways publishers can make media pay 3 in 4 publishers have responded to the pandemic with new content products, “from brand-building to securing a lucrative new revenue stream” “111% more article clicks”: How Facebook’s […]
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Audience Engagement and Revenue: Essential Reading
Newsrooms everywhere are recognizing the importance of engaging with their audiences and how transparency and inclusion can create loyalty, and ultimately revenue. Many models exist for generating income, and nonprofit investigative journalism organizations are experimenting to find the right appeal. Reader Revenue Toolkit 14 steps to use collaborations to create better journalism and boost revenue […]
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Fundraising: Essential Reading
Raising money to build and scale up a nonprofit investigative journalism organization is challenging. Grants and donations from philanthropic organizations and individuals are one source of funding. Here are tips and ideas from fundraising experts: NEW: MediaDev Fundraising Guide (2021) Tipsheet: Fundraising Research Resources, by Bridget Gallagher, from a presentation at GIJC19. Inside Philanthropy: Who’s […]
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Sustainability: Perspective – Case Studies
Lessons in transitioning from legacy media to digital: Expert tips from Asia (2021) The power of innovative longform journalism online: 5 standout examples COVID-19 accelerates media sustainability crisis in Southern Africa Two months, a voluntary 30% price increase and 18,000 new paying readers: What eldiario.es did after COVID-19 struck Will nonprofit journalism rules now on […]