Individual giving represents 80% of all U.S. philanthropy, yet most news organizations focus their fundraising efforts on foundations. As Rachel White noted in our recent AP Forward webinar, this is a missed opportunity.
“Individuals are the most overlooked and the most important part of the philanthropic puzzle for news worldwide,” she said.
Bri Crane, APFJ’s Vice President of Individual Giving, explained how newsrooms can begin: “Start with who you already have. Your readers, subscribers, newsletter followers, event attendees, and social media community. These are people who already care about your work.”
Unlike foundations, individual donors:
- Offer unrestricted, flexible support
- Require less formal reporting
- Stay loyal for longer—often years
They also give based on emotional connection. Crane encouraged newsrooms to create a donor journey that moves someone from casual reader to supporter. One example? A local Chicago outlet hosted a free event with QR code donations throughout the venue—engaging its audience while identifying its most committed supporters.
What to do next:
- Map out your current audience engagement touchpoints.
- Create a basic giving process: donation acceptance and prompt thank-yous.
- Build small moments of connection that deepen over time: newsletters, updates, free events.
“It’s really about building the community and engagement initially,” Crane said.
Individual giving takes time—sometimes two years to secure a transformational gift—but the payoff is durable, flexible support rooted in trust.
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