LION is expanding access to Sustainability Audits and Coaching in Canada

LION members share many of the same challenges while building a business, regardless of size or location. But the road to sustainability has unique complications for digital publishers in Canada. 

We’ve heard from members and potential members, industry leaders, funders, and other stakeholders that Canadian publishers want more support. Many independent news sites are grappling with how to build an audience online after Meta removed access to local news on Facebook and Instagram (if you aren’t familiar with why this happened, the annual Digital News report summarizes the impact). And we know that limited philanthropic funding and smaller populations make it difficult to start and scale digital news businesses. 

The need is great, and LION is rising to meet it. 

With support from the Google News Initiative, LION has already recruited and trained 13 news leaders for the Canada Coaches program, led by Katie Mercer of Blue Engine Collaborative. We launched three new peer learning groups for Canadians earlier this month, led by LION members. 

Now we are opening up our online Sustainability Audits and coaching to independent publishers that are not currently LION members. 

LION’s Sustainability Audits have been refined based on feedback from more than 300 Audits with our members and thousands of hours of expert coaching in our programs over the past five years. Each report will include actionable recommendations, including new recommendations we are adding for Canada this year. 

LION members can already access our new version of the Audit and have access to coaching (if you are a member and haven’t yet signed up, reach out to membership@lionpublishers.com). 

Independent publishers who complete an Audit can sign up for up to two hours of coaching with a Canada coach (hours available on a first-come, first-served basis). 

To sign up for a Sustainability Audit, complete this request form.