Apply for LION’s second Sustainability 360 program cohort

Many LION members face daily pressure to manage operations with limited capacity, which makes it difficult to think big and plan strategically.

We know your to-do lists feel endless, leaving you with little to no time to work on revenue, workflows, or hiring. That’s why LION has developed Sustainability 360, a year-long program that provides hands-on support to publishers who are ready to grow their business. Participants are matched with a strategic coach and consultants who can offer both guidance and tactical support in developing new processes, systems, and documentation to address your top finance and HR needs.

“The LION coaches helped walk us through best practices, and then went the extra step and created the documents needed to implement them, from employee handbooks to succession plans to salary tables,” said Joe Rivano Barros of Mission Local about his experience in the Sustainability 360 pilot.

Forty members joined Sustainability 360 in summer 2025, and we are adding 20 more in January 2026, thanks to generous support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

If you are an active LION member who has taken a Sustainability Audit in 2025 and you are in the Building or Maintaining stage, you are eligible to apply.

Key program requirements

You’re a great fit if you have:

• An active LION membership (check to see if your organization is on our active member list; if you’re not listed and believe you should be, let us know at membership@lionpublishers.com)
• At least one to two goals that you want to work on for one year to grow your business (for example, first revenue hire, develop a succession plan, launch a new product, develop a new revenue stream, etc.) 
• A commitment to complete an intake assessment to identify key HR and financial needs and confirm deliverables for each  
• A commitment from top leadership (publisher, executive director, CEO, etc.) to participate in the program and meet twice a month for an hour with your assigned strategic coach

FAQ

What does the program look like?

Strategic Coaching: As a participant in the program, you’ll be matched with a strategic coach who will meet with you bi-weekly (every two weeks) throughout the year. Your coach will provide guidance on setting realistic goals based on your current capacity and the recommendations from your Sustainability Audit. Your coach can help you prioritize activities that will strengthen your operations, engage your audience, and increase your revenue, while keeping you accountable as you navigate the day-to-day realities of running a newsroom. Strategic coaches will work with you at a high level to empower you to make decisions for your organization; they will not take on direct work or provide a list of steps for you to follow.

HR Support: You’ll also be paired with an HR consultant who can help you build or improve systems to support a healthy, sustainable team — whether you’re hiring for the first time, restructuring roles, or aiming to improve retention and culture. These consultants can help you execute, taking the lead on drafting materials or setting up processes, with your input on the final result.

Deliverables may include, but are not limited to:

• Creating or updating an employee handbook
• Writing or refining job descriptions
• Designing compensation policies and structures
• Developing onboarding systems
• Conducting staff feedback surveys
• Assessing and making recommendations to improve employee benefits

Finance Support: A finance expert is also assigned to each member in the program. These consultants can work directly on organizing and strengthening your financial systems. This could include reviewing current processes and making recommendations on financial systems, planning for growth, or helping you make more strategic decisions with your financial data.

Finance support may include, but is not limited to:

• Refining your organizational budget
• Building cash flow projections
• Identifying your runway or break-even point
• Organizing your chart of accounts
• Tracking restricted vs. unrestricted revenue
• Interpreting financial reports for strategic decisions
• Clarifying the true cost of staff roles and planned hires

Who is eligible to apply?

You are eligible to participate if you are a LION member currently in the Building or Maintaining stage, based on your most recent Sustainability Audit. If you’re unsure whether you qualify, feel free to reach out to our manager of coaching programs, Alma Washington, at almawashington@lionpublishers.com.

What’s the application deadline, and how long will the application process take?

The application deadline is December 5 at 8 p.m. ET. We estimate that the application process will take 30 minutes or less to complete. 

If you are selected as a finalist, you will be interviewed by a LION staff member to assess your current capacity and key organizational goals.

What will LION look for when choosing the next cohort?

The Sustainability 360 program aims to support members who are intentionally growing their business. We are looking for members who have specific goals, like adding a new revenue stream, planning to hire a critical new position, or creating new employee policies that serve your growing team. We expect that you have some business basics in place, like tracking revenue, but there’s potential for you to strengthen your processes and systems with the resources available through this program.

When will I know if I have been accepted into the program?

December 5: Applications close 

November 21 – December 5: Finalist interviews

December 19: Participants are selected for the program and notified

What are the project milestones and deadlines?

January – February 2026: 

• Members begin onboarding with strategic coaches and complete intake calls with HR and finance consultants  
• Each member will create an Action Plan to guide their coaching for the next year (LION will provide a template) 
• Start meeting every other week with strategic coaches 
• Set deliverables for HR and finance with assigned consultants 

June 2026: 

• Complete a short mid-program survey to provide feedback on the program, your coach, and assigned consultants
• Review HR and finance deliverables  

December 2026: 

• Program onboarding: complete a final survey and re-take the Sustainability Audit
• Confirm completion of HR and finance deliverables

What’s the time commitment?

You can expect to spend about two hours a month in face-to-face coaching sessions, plus one to two hours providing input to the HR and finance consultants so they can keep your deliverables moving forward. You’ll also need time to implement recommendations and apply what you’re learning. This program was designed to not create extra work — it’s meant to provide you with the capacity to make the work you’re doing more efficient, strategic, and impactful.

Who from my organization should participate in the program?

Sustainability 360 requires the participation of top leaders, such as the founder, publisher, or executive director. You can bring in other team members as needed, but you can’t delegate participation in this program to staff members who do not have direct decision-making authority for your organization. For example, your operations lead might join the HR consultant on a policy draft, or your bookkeeper might meet with the finance coach to clarify your chart of accounts.