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UPDATE 6/23/23: Fund for Equity in Local News has its own website and details on the Transformation Tech program can now be found there.
UPDATE 6/8/23: Transformation Tech has been “supersized!” We’re now planning to serve up to 240 publishers from AAN, NAHP and NNPA. More details to come. We will reach out to publishers who have already applied about acceptance in the first or second cohort; applications for additional participants will open the week of June 12.
As a publisher, are you looking to accelerate your new media transformation, build your online audience, and grow digital revenue?
Do you have technology or staffing challenges that are getting in the way of your digital publishing goals?
Applications open soon for Transformation Tech, an exciting new training program for members of NAHP, NNPA and AAN.
Challenges to raising digital revenue might include outdated website tech; no ad server; a lack of ad tech skills; or not enough trained staff.
Transformation Tech aims to help publishers overcome such challenges and build achievable revenue goals. Each participating publisher will receive $15,000 in funding to support their technology and business transformation needs.
Through comprehensive presentations, one-on-one coaching, and expert consulting, Transformation Tech participants will diagnose their own challenges, build out their tech stack, and develop a realistic revenue plan.
In addition, Transformation Tech graduates will be prepared to participate and collaborate in industry labs sponsored by the Google News Initiative, the Knight Foundation, and others.
NAHP, NNPA, and AAN recently hosted an informational webinar to answer questions you might have about the program.
Transformation Tech is a program of the Fund for Equity in Local News (a sponsored project of ANF, with support from the Google News Initiative).
1.) Do I need to be a member of a particular organization to apply to Transformation Tech?
Priority will be given to members of the National Association of Hispanic Publishers, the National Newspaper Publishers Association and the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, and our goal is to fill the Lab with members from those associations. If a slot is open, we may allow non-members at the discretion of FELN and Lab leadership.
2.) My organization is a non-profit. Can we apply?
If you’re a member of one of the associations mentioned in #1 above and you’re organized as a non-profit, you can apply. The Lab will focus on various revenue generation opportunities, and you can concentrate your Revenue Transformation Plan on the one that is a good fit for your organization.
3.) I’ve been in previous GNI Ad Transformation Labs in the past. Can I apply to Transformation Tech?
Yes, although is some cases we will prioritize publications that have not been a part of previous GNI Ad Transformation Tech labs organized for NAHP and NNPA publishers. If slots remain available, we will consider publications accepted into previous Labs. Also, we are looking for mentors from publications that were successful in previous Labs; please get in touch with Todd Stauffer (todd@aan.org) to discuss that further.
4.) Previous Labs didn’t include many AAN publishers. Are AAN members encouraged to apply for this one?
Yes, our goal during the application phase is to admit an equal number of publications from each of the three associations: AAN, NAHP and NNPA, if possible.
6.) I understand this Lab offers $20,000 to accepted publishers. What do we have to do to get that money?
The two primary deliverables of this Lab are a Revenue Transformation Plan, which will be a concise document outlining your plan to use the $20,000 (and other resources) to increase revenues for your organization; and materials supporting a Case Study at the close of the Lab.
The Revenue Transformation Plan should emphasize SMART Goal(s) and show how the investment will benefit the organization. The publication’s company will be eligible for payment once the Lab leadership approves the plan. In most cases, publishers will receive two payments; the first payment delivered soon after the plan’s approval, and the second payment made after you deliver the Case Study materials at the close of the Lab.
7.) Can we get money earlier if we need it?
If your Revenue Transformation Plan requires payment of fees or services, technology or consulting sooner, we may be able to release funds sooner on a case-by-case basis.
8.) Are there other requirements we should be aware of?
The goal of Transformation Tech is to coach, encourage and support a transformation that leads to revenue growth, particularly in digital publishing areas such as web advertising, newsletters, reader revenue, and so on.
We believe this requires buy-in and participation from the organization’s top leadership — owners, publishers and/or general managers, as well as revenue and technology leaders.
Buy-in from member organizations at the owner/manager level is an essential part of our consideration for the program; attendance and participation will be vital for completing the Lab and its deliverables.
We encourage participants in the Transformation Tech class to recognize that their participation and success will directly affect whether the program continues and whether others can benefit from it in the future. So, we will ask you to commit to attending sessions, holding to scheduled coaching calls and making deadlines for deliverables. If you can’t commit the time and resources, please don’t apply for this cohort. Thank you!