IPI’s call for applications to our Local News Accelerator is now closed. Many thanks to all who applied; we appreciate the work you are doing in your communities and the effort put into applications. The jury has reviewed all applications, and all applicants will be informed of the outcome by 27 September. A public announcement of successful newsrooms will be made at a later date.

In total, we received 148 applications from 55 countries. This is a testament to the many local and niche news organizations working to build a diverse media landscape that informs and empowers members of their communities. We heard from newsrooms which were new startups and those which have been working for decades, all with an interest in better serving their audience.

The Local News Accelerator is part of IPI’s Media Sustainability programme, and offers intensive training, one-on-one and group coaching, speaker sessions, networking and access to an e-learning platform.

It follows a three-month curriculum rooted in innovation and product development techniques, practical tools for each newsroom, advisory support adapted to each media’s context, and detailed insight into the latest revenue opportunities for media. IPI will support the selected news organizations in developing strategies responding to specific challenges, including diversifying their revenue streams and incorporating audience engagement into their product.

The programme is based on IPI’s recent Transition Accelerator, which saw 15 European organizations supported in developing audience-centric solutions to organizational challenges. You can read more about our participants and what they learned here.

Sign up to IPI’s media sustainability newsletter here to stay up-to-date on this and other news from our team.

If you have questions about the accelerator or IPI’s innovation work, please email [email protected].

IPI’s Local News Accelerator is made possible with support from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.