JAWS CAMP 2025 Recap - Sessions You May Have Missed: Nonprofit Newsroom Panel
2024-2025 JAWS CAMP Co-Chair Stephanie Beasley (left) in conversation with (seated from second to left to right) Stacy Palmer, Emily Holden, Wendy Wei and Cheryl Mainor Norman at JAWS CAMP 2025 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Larisa Epatko
(WASHINGTON, DC) - JAWS’ 40th Anniversary Conference and Mentoring Program (CAMP) was held September 5-7, 2025 at The Royal Sonesta Hotel in Washington, DC’s Dupont Circle neighborhood.
By James Mae, Staff Writer | SPJ Freelance (JAWS CAMP 2025 Volunteer)
Nonprofit Panel in conversation with 2024-2025 JAWS CAMP Co-Chair, Stephanie Beasley
Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025
Nonprofit newsrooms, often beacons of investigative and unique journalism in their communities, are finding alternative funding routes amidst a changing media landscape and shifting political environment.
During a panel on nonprofit news at the 2025 Journalism and Women's Symposium, Stacy Palmer, CEO of The Chronicle of Philanthropy, discussed how changes in federal policy and competitiveness in the industry have negatively impacted funding.
Unlike traditional corporate newsrooms, non-profit newsrooms receive the majority of their funding from donations and grants from various organizations and institutions like the Field Foundation. In turn, many of these organizations offer specialized content for low or no cost to their audience.
“I'm sure it's no secret to everybody. The competition is incredibly intense because so many organizations have lost federal funding,” Palmer said, “I've been covering this field for 40 years, and I think this is the most intense competition I've ever seen.”
Due to these challenges, Palmer, along with the other panelists, noted that nonprofit publications must focus on diversifying their operations and find new ways to generate income.
Cheryl Mainor Norman, co-founder of Chicago News Weekly, discussed how her team works with local creatives to rent out the publication's podcast and photography studios. Others discussed the importance of collaborating with other newsrooms and taking on ambitious reporting projects.
While competitive, the panelists still stressed the importance of grants from institutions like the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN). Emily Holden, founder of the climate news startup Floodlight, started her publication based on a grant from INN and is mostly foundation-supported.
The challenge remains convincing donors and giving organizations of the importance of nonprofit news.
“Our mission really is to diversify the pipeline of journalists so that underrepresented communities are covered by the folks who have lived experience there, or just a closer connection than folks who don't have that,” Wendy Wei, a reporter for the Investigative Project on Race and Equity, said during the panel.
Holden and Wei explained how nonprofit newsrooms provide opportunities for diverse reporters and reporting, including the ability to conduct in-depth investigative reporting.
Despite these challenges, newsrooms like Floodlight are still bringing in readers and reporters with the publication now operating on an over $1 million budget according to Holden, signaling the overall prominence of nonprofit newsrooms in the new media landscape.
“It’s a whole new world,” Norman concluded.
About the Journalism & Women Symposium (JAWS)
Arising from a first meeting of women journalists in 1985, JAWS advances the professional empowerment and personal growth of women* in journalism and advocates for more inclusive coverage of the diverse experiences and cultures that comprise our society. We believe that by advancing women in journalism, we transform the world.
JAWS brings together working journalists, journalism educators and researchers from across the country to share resources, support, training and information about issues that affect women in our field. We meet in person and online in an atmosphere of mutual support and enthusiastic interest in one another’s differing experiences and journalistic dreams.
*“Women” here includes anyone who self-identifies as a woman, or as a non-binary, gender-nonconforming or agender person. Learn more at jaws.org.