Infrastructure Consulting: HR & Finance

LION Publishers invites nonprofit newsrooms that are members of LION, INN and AAN to apply for either HR or Finance consulting services.

In 2026, we will select 40 nonprofit newsrooms to participate in this program (we plan to offer another program in 2027 that will focus on for-profit newsrooms). This program is made possible through the generous support of a Press Forward infrastructure grant.

LION piloted this model of consulting services through programs with our members and we are excited to open this program to members of other journalism support organizations.

Big Change Consulting (BCC), a firm with deep experience with nonprofits, will provide the services to 40 selected nonprofits from March through September 2026.

Eligibility:

Newsrooms must be an active member of LION, INN or AAN
You must have 501(c)(3) status or be actively planning to transition to an independent 501c3 this year
You must have at least 2 FTE positions on your team
You must have annual revenue of at least $75k in the previous fiscal year

Program Requirements:

This program is designed for organizational leaders and staff who participate must have oversight and decision-making authority in finance or HR processes and systems for your organization
Participants must commit to sharing financial and/or HR documentation with the consultants
Participants must complete a LION Sustainability Audit at the start of the program and a follow up Audit one year later
This program will include direct consulting, group training and follow up activities based on priorities you set with your finance or HR consultant, please plan to commit 3-5 hours a week for 6 months

If you have questions about this application and/or eligibility, please email Sarah Gustavus Lim, LION’s Director of Programs (sarahlim@lionpublishers.com)

Applications will be open until 8 p.m PT on January 23, 2026

Please select a track for this program.

The finance track is for publishers that want to improve their financial tracking, financial forecasting and strengthen their overall financial systems. Consultants will work with selected news organizations on finance needs, which could include:

Creating and interpreting financial reports to inform decision-making
Reviewing your Chart of Accounts and/or financial policies and providing tailored recommendations to align with nonprofit best practices
Reviewing your budget and integration with accounting software
Configuration or refinement of accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks), including setup of income and expense categories
Development of a simple cash flow forecasting model
Setup of a system to track restricted vs. unrestricted funding
Recommendations for a sustainable bookkeeping workflow, including monthly close process and file organization

The HR track will focus on managing people. Consultants will work with selected newsrooms on HR needs, which could include:

Reviewing and/or drafting policies for staff or contractors
Drafting basic compensation guidelines or pay rates for contractors
Recommending or developing onboarding checklists for staff, including short-term or part time staff
Reviewing and/or creating contractor agreement templates and policies
Reviewing and editing job descriptions and organizational charts
Reviewing and editing offer letters or scope of work templates