Venture support
We provide strategic, hands-on support tailored to each organization’s needs and growth challenges.
Our model combines one-on-one coaching, capacity-building resources, specialized expertise and peer learning.
What our support looks like
Success Partners
Each portfolio organization is assigned a Success Partner from our team who serves as a strategic thought partner and coach. Success Partners work with organizational leadership to scale operations, maximize assets, and overcome growth challenges, from staffing and fundraising to board development and organizational culture.
Peer learning
Portfolio organizations consistently cite peer learning as one of the most valuable aspects of our support. We facilitate learning opportunities for CEOs and other organizational leaders, informed by portfolio-wide trends and insights, and build connections so organizations can learn from one another organically.
Capacity-building resources
We provide targeted resources to strengthen core business and operational infrastructure, with a focus on financial sustainability and areas critical to growth. This can include support for peer learning trips, conference attendance or working with consultants on specific challenges.
Tools & resources
We develop and share best practices that expedite our portfolio’s work, including job description templates, successful funding pitch examples, and board management resources. As we learn from our portfolio, we capture and share tools across our portfolio and with the field at large.
Specialized support
Our portfolio organizations face complex operational challenges that require deep expertise in specific areas.
Launched in 2025 with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Knight Resiliency Lab offers specialized support to our portfolio in areas ranging from technology, to legal, to finance.
Ongoing portfolio benefits
After the conclusion of growth investment cycles, organizations have the opportunity to remain in the portfolio and continue to gain access to tools, resources, support and learning opportunities.
Portfolio organizations can also benefit from network-enabled grant and sponsorship opportunities, such as our partnership with JPMorganChase and grants through our Product & AI studio.
Truly transformational – allowed us to grow far more quickly and thoughtfully than we otherwise might have. Allowed us to build out a leadership team that has a real chance to make our organization sustainable and impactful in the long term. Connected us to peers that provide both support and inspiration.
Response to 2024 survey on grantee experience
Get in touch
If you think we should know about the work of your existing nonprofit local news organization, please reach out via our general inquiry form below. Our team can’t respond to every inquiry we receive, but we promise we are reading them!