Apply to judge the 2026 LION Publishers Sustainability Awards

Are you passionate about supporting local independent news businesses and recognizing their achievements? Here’s your chance to make a meaningful impact! LION Publishers seeks volunteers to serve as judges for the eighth annual LION Publishers Sustainability Awards.

What are the LION Publishers Sustainability Awards?

The 2026 LION Awards will recognize achievements made by local independent news businesses in award categories focused on LION’s pillars of sustainability — journalistic impact, financial health, and operational resilience. Categories include LION Business of the Year, Operational Resilience, Public Service, Product of the Year, and more. These awards aim to highlight the innovative and impactful work being done by independent news organizations across the U.S. and Canada.

Why volunteer as a judge?

Being a judge for the LION Awards offers a unique opportunity to:

• Gain insights into innovative practices by seeing what’s happening in independent newsrooms across the U.S. and Canada
• Help champion the recognition of best practices for news businesses – and highlight excellence across the independent news industry
• Connect with fellow judges who are also dedicated to supporting the independent news industry

Don’t just take our word for it — Richard E. Brown with Wisconsin Watch, one of last year’s judges, shared: “The highlight for me was seeing how so many organizations are truly evolving. It was energizing to witness the ways they’re responding to shifting economic and social dynamics while still finding creative paths forward. It’s exciting to celebrate those wins!”

What does being a judge involve?

As a volunteer judge, you will:

• Participate in a 30-minute onboarding session to understand the judging process and expectations for judges 
• Be assigned to one award category and work collaboratively with two or four other judges (depending on category size)
• Evaluate entries submitted by LION members within your assigned category and revenue tier (either Micro/Small or Medium/Large)
• Spend no more than eight hours completing your judging assignments over a five-week period, from early May to early June 2026
• Review entries (and meet with judges in your category as requested) to determine finalists and winners
• Submit comments for the winner and finalists in your award category

We’ve set aside 15 complimentary tickets for judges to attend the 2026 LION Awards Ceremony, which will be held at the Independent News Sustainability Summit in San Diego on September 9. These tickets will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis, as we understand not all judges will be able to make the trip. (Your ability to attend the ceremony is not an eligibility requirement for becoming a judge, though we’d love to see you there!)

How can you apply?

If you’re interested in volunteering as a judge, please complete this form by Friday, March 20, 2026, at 5 p.m. PT.

If you have questions about applying to be a LION Award judge, please email LION’s Community Manager, Natalie Van Hoozer, at natalievanhoozer@lionpublishers.com.