Value proposition

The Lenfest Institute's sole mission is to develop and support sustainable business models for local journalism.

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism is the first-of-its-kind organization whose sole mission is to develop and support sustainable business models for great local journalism.

A distinctive organization of news executives, media entrepreneurs, software and technology executives, philanthropists, community leaders and leading academics, the Institute is working to transform the news industry in the digital age to ensure that high quality local journalism remains a cornerstone of our democracy.

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism is a mission-based non-profit corporation devoted to local journalism. The Institute was founded in 2016 by cable television entrepreneur H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest. Lenfest gifted to the Institute an initial endowment of $20 million, which has since been supplemented by other donors, for investment in innovative news initiatives, new technology and sustainable business models for local news. Lenfest also gifted sole ownership of the Philadelphia Media Network (The Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia Daily News, and philly.com, the Philadelphia region’s largest news website), to the Institute, assets for which he had invested more than $80 million.

The Philadelphia news properties are now the largest newspapers in America operated as a public-benefit corporation, under the non-profit ownership of the Institute, dedicated solely to the mission of preserving local journalism nationwide. These news properties will also serve as a live lab for the Institute’s innovation investments.

Through grant-making and program activities, the Institute provides both financial resources and hands-on expertise to individuals and organizations seeking to help invent the future of sustainable local journalism.

journalism