Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of news organizations are you looking for?
We are focused on very small news organizations that target unserved or underserved communities. At this time, we are only accepting U.S.-based news organizations into the Collective.
Do I need journalism experience to found a Tiny News Organization?
We do not require professional journalism experience to be a member of the Collective. We're looking for people who are interested in building place-based local news in areas unserved or underserved by the current news ecosystem. We are especially interested in founders who come from backgrounds historically and systematically shut out of media ownership.
What is Tiny News Collective’s definition of community?
We want to help founders serve a community however you define it. Your geographical footprint may vary depending on where you are and what community you are trying to serve.
What if my organization is already up and running?
We do accept founders who already have existing sites, and functioning businesses or nonprofits. But our focus is supporting founders who are just getting started, which means the Collective may or may not be the best option for you. If you aren’t sure, feel free to get in touch and we can discuss all the options.
Do members have to use the entire technology stack?
No. However, we can't provide hands on tech support for alternative third-party services.
What revenue streams are supported by TNC?
You are able pursue multiple kinds of revenue streams such as donations, newsletter sponsorships or local advertising. We don’t prescribe what your revenue strategy has to be. We facilitate your ability to experiment and test in order to figure out what works best for your organization and your audience.
How do I sign up?
You can apply through our application portal when you're ready. We highly recommend reviewing our guide to applying prior to submitting your application. You can also book office hours with a team member to ask questions and make sure you're prepared.
How much does the Tiny News Collective cost?
The Collective offers two tiers of members: a community tier and a publiser tier. Services vary based on the tier.
What are the services the Tiny News Collective is offering?
The Tiny News Collective offers a low-cost, all-inclusive platform for building a news organization from scratch, with training and support to help you design and implement your organization's publishing and business strategy. We offer technology, training, fiscal sponsorship and other services. LION membership is included in the cost, giving founders access to additional training and an entire community to learn from. You can find more detail in our Collective Resources.
Who is working on the Tiny News Collective?
The Tiny News Collective is a collaborative project between News Catalyst and LION Publishers. See our about page for our full team.
Is there funding available to founders through the collective?
We do not provide startup funding to the members of the Collective. Our focus is primarily reducing the costs, risks and time that it takes to get your organization started. We do connect founders with funding opportunities whenever the opportunity arises.
Will it be publicly announced if I join the collective?
It is optional. Founders may choose to include their name and site in our periodic announcements, but it is not required.
How long can I be in the Collective?
For as long you want to be. Our goal is to support new founders as they plan, build, test and grow their organization to a point where they are bringing in revenue and have some stability. Sustainability means different things to different people but our hope is that founders can reach a level of sustainability within about two years in the Collective.
How easy is it to leave the Collective when a news organization is ready?
Your organization is yours and you can depart the Collective when you feel it is the right time for you. Everything you’ve created, from your content to your mailing lists is yours and goes with you when you’re ready.