LION now accepting applications from for-profit news businesses for free HR and financial consulting

The independent publishing industry is diverse, but there’s one thing our team at LION hears most often: there’s never enough time to take care of the business side of operations. 

To solve this, LION developed a unique program that offers 1:1 consulting support to help newsrooms strengthen their HR or financial systems in under a year. Newsrooms that participated in our nonprofit cohort this year are seeing immediate impact. They’ve gained a better understanding of their finances, potential HR risks, and where they can make valuable investments to help them save time and money. 

In 2027, LION will offer these free, customized HR and finance consulting services to 40 for-profit newsrooms, solopreneurs, and creators. If selected, you can expect to leave the program with a cost-effective plan in place to run your business more efficiently. That means freeing up time and money to focus on new revenue streams, audience engagement, or testing new products – maybe even expanding to serve another community. 

This program is made possible through the generous support of a Press Forward Infrastructure grant. 

Eligibility Criteria

• Your organization must be structured as a for-profit business (ex: LLC, C-Corp, S-Corp, B-Corp, Sole Proprietor, etc.)
• You must have decision-making authority over finance or HR processes to work with the consultants 
• You must be based in the United States

What You’ll Get

• Two LION Sustainability Audits that will track your progress across LION’s three pillars of sustainability (operational resilience, financial health, and journalistic impact) 
• 1:1 consulting support, including tasks and documents that consultants can do for you, like setting up accounting software, updating job descriptions, or drafting contractor agreements 
• Group training and resources to help you deepen your understanding of best practices in financial management and/or Human Resources (HR)

Program Requirements

• Time Commitment: Expect to spend an average of 1-3 hours per week from January through August 2027 meeting with consultants, providing requested materials, and/or reviewing materials provided by your assigned consultant 
• Documentation: You must share relevant financial or HR documents with your assigned consultant in a timely manner (one week or less) so they can complete agreed-upon deliverables for the program 
• Audits: You must complete a LION Sustainability Audit at the start of the program and a follow-up Audit one year later to track your progress (Audits take 90 minutes or less on average to complete)

Key Dates

• October 30, 2026: Application deadline
• November 13, 2026: Selected participants notified
• December 11, 2026: Deadline to complete Sustainability Audit 
• January 2027: Onboarding and consultant intake calls
• February – August 2027: Core program delivery and consulting
• August 30, 2027: Program wrap-up

Application

The application takes approximately 20 minutes to complete. The deadline to apply is October 30, 2026.

FAQ

Q: Is a Sustainability Audit the same as an IRS Audit?
A: No, the LION Sustainability Audit is a self-service tool that provides a comprehensive assessment of key performance indicators for news businesses. If you take an Audit, you will receive a report that highlights key steps you can take to strengthen your business and resources you can utilize. LION developed the Sustainability Audit program and has refined it through nearly 1,000 Audits over the past five years. You can read more about the Sustainability Audits program here.

Q: What does LION do with Audit data?
A: LION uses Audit data to track changes across programs, ensuring program participants are achieving results that indicate our programs are working, and to identify key trends across the news industry. You can see an example here.

Q: Will LION share my data?
A: No, LION only shares aggregate data from Audits. We have secure processes in place to protect individual newsroom data.

Q: Will participating newsrooms receive a stipend or grant?
A: No. There is no direct funding in this program, but the consulting hours are valued at $5,000-$10,000 per organization.

Q: What if I only need support with a few of the items on the list?
A: We encourage you to apply! Each participant will go through an onboarding process with their assigned consultant. The HR or finance consultants will make recommendations of the deliverables that will have the most significant impact for your organization in this program.

Q: What if I just want a thought partner to talk through ideas?
A: This program is not general coaching. It’s designed to support concrete steps that you can take to strengthen your business, which is why each participant will have a list of deliverables that they are working on with their assigned consultant.

Q: Can the consultants help with hiring and firing?
A: No, the consultants can provide support for developing long-term systems and processes. They cannot work with you directly on hiring or firing during the program.

Q: Can the consultants help me address issues like pending lawsuits, back taxes, etc.?
A: No. If consultants identify in the program that you need additional legal support, we would direct you to legal resources, including pro bono services available through Lawyers for Reporters.

Q: Can the consultants provide me with general business consulting?
A: We understand that news leaders are facing many challenges, but success in this program requires a clear focus on either HR or finance. The consultants cannot provide executive coaching or business coaching.

Q: What if I face a crisis during the program?
A: We understand that a crisis or unexpected event, whether in your newsroom or your community, can make it difficult to meet program deadlines. We designed this program to provide some flexibility, but it is important that you communicate with your consultant about any new challenges so they can support you in refining your deliverables and/or deadlines to support you during the program.

Q: Can the consultants provide ongoing fractional support in finance or HR after the program ends?
A: Both of our consulting partners, DVCG and Big Change Consulting, do offer fractional services. You will be asked to not start new work during the program, but you are welcome to engage either firm to discuss ongoing business services after the program ends.

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If you have any additional questions about the application or eligibility, please contact Alma Washington, LION’s coaching manager, at almawashington@lionpublishers.com.