We are pleased when Tiny News Collective members are recognized for their hard work. The latest honor came when LION Publishers announced the finalists for their 2025 LION Sustainability Awards. 

Mat-Su Sentinel and Tucson Spotlight are both finalists for the New LION Business of the Year. Launched in June 2024 by Amy Bushatz, The Sentinel covers four communities in the Matansuka-Susitna Borough of Alaska. The Spotlight, a bilingual Spanish-English outlet focusing on undercovered topics and communities in Southern Arizona, was launched in September 2024 by Caitlin Schmidt and Susan Barnett.

The 2025 award recognizes outlets founded after January 1, 2024, that show in their early stages “a clearly defined commitment to working toward achieving sustainability through operational resilience, financial health and journalistic impact.”

Two other members, one alumni organization and one board member are finalists in these categories:

• Eden Prairie Local News is a finalist for the Financial Health Award / Micro-Small Revenue Tier.
• Ethiopique is a finalist for the Public Service Award / Micro Revenue Tier and the Community Engagement Award / Micro Revenue Tier.
• Estes Valley Voice, a TNC alum, is also a finalist for the Public Service Award / Micro Revenue Tier and the Community Engagement Award / Micro Revenue Tier.
• Santa Cruz Local, co-founded by TNC board member Kara Meyberg Guzman, is a finalist for four awards: the LION Business of the Year / Small Revenue Tier, the Operational Resilience Award / Micro/Small Revenue Tier, the Public Service Award / Small Revenue Tier, and the Community Engagement Award / Small Revenue Tier.

Congratulations to all the finalists! We’ll be cheering for you in St. Louis on September 3 at the LION Awards Ceremony. See you there! 👏