Leader Publications is one of 17 news organizations selected to participate in the Lab for Journalism Funding program.
The lab, operated by the Local Media Association (LMA) with support from the Google News Initiative, will help the newspaper develop and execute strategies to fund essential local journalism via philanthropy.
“Each of these newsrooms has a commitment to community service,” said Frank Mungeam, chief innovation officer at LMA. “We are excited to help them develop philanthropy as one of the ways to sustain their essential local journalism.”
The six-month intensive lab began this month and runs through January 2025.
Since its launch in September 2020, the lab has trained and coached more than 100 publishers, helping them raise more than $25 million to fund community service journalism.
According to LMA, the 17 newsrooms accepted into the 2024 cohort include a diverse set of organizations in small and large markets, across varied media platforms, with a strong representation of family-owned outlets and publishers who focus on traditionally underserved audiences.
Katelyn Mary Skaggs, the Leader’s digital marketing manager, said the newspaper staff is excited to be a part of the program.
She said part of the program is “community listening,” such as asking readers for ideas about how to better serve them.
Leader Publications is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month.
On Aug. 25, 1994, the company launched its first newspaper – the Jefferson County Leader, which serves the south part of the county. Since then, it has added two more weekly newspapers – the Arnold-Imperial Leader and the West Side Leader – and a bi-weekly paper, the Eureka Leader.
All four papers are delivered free in the mail to the 150,000 or so Leader readers.
The Leader also has a website at myleaderpaper.com.