OutSFL has been selected as one of the inaugural recipients of a Press Forward South Florida Newsroom Strength Grant, an investment designed to help local news organizations build stronger and more sustainable operations.
The award provides OutSFL with a sustainability audit from LION (Local Independent Online News) Publishers, a year of monthly coaching with a LION sustainability coach and a $20,000 stipend to implement recommendations identified through the audit.
“This grant is an investment not only in OutSFL, but in the future of independent LGBTQ journalism in South Florida,” said Jason Parsley, publisher of OutSFL. “We launched OutSFL because our community deserved a strong, locally owned news organization committed to telling its stories. With continued economic uncertainty facing the media industry, we’re always looking for ways to operate more effectively and efficiently while protecting the journalism at the heart of what we do. This support gives us an opportunity to step back, examine how we operate and make strategic investments that will help ensure we’re still doing this work for years to come.”
OutSFL launched June 1, 2023, following the closure of South Florida Gay News. Since then, the locally owned newsroom has continued to experiment with creative ways to expand its journalism and reach new audiences. Among those initiatives is OutFAU, a student-run LGBTQ publication at Florida Atlantic University launched in partnership with OutSFL in 2024 to give student journalists hands-on newsroom experience while expanding LGBTQ coverage on campus.
The Newsroom Strength program is specifically designed to help local news organizations improve their business operations and long-term planning. The LION sustainability audit will help OutSFL identify potential roadblocks to sustainability and opportunities to strengthen the organization. Following the audit, OutSFL will develop an implementation plan and use its $20,000 stipend to put recommendations into action.
In addition to OutSFL, Newsroom Strength recipients are Browardist, Coconut Grove Spotlight, Edible South Florida, el Toque News, Hy-Lo News, Impact Edition, Islander News, Key Biscayne Independent, Key West Newswire, Miami New Times, The Miami Times and WLRN Public Media.
Press Forward South Florida is a regional initiative dedicated to strengthening the local news and information ecosystem and ensuring South Floridians have access to reliable local information. It is part of Press Forward, a national philanthropic movement working to strengthen communities by expanding investment in local journalism.
Press Forward South Florida announced the awards Sept. 22 during a reception at Miami Dade College’s Freedom Tower.
“Local news boosts civic engagement, it decreases polarization and is a powerful antidote to misinformation. And in times of crisis, it is a community lifeline,” said Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, president and CEO of The Miami Foundation. “We need local news to not just survive but to thrive.”
Press Forward’s work is supported by the Community Foundation of Broward, Coral Gables Community Foundation, Key Biscayne Community Foundation, Ocean Reef Community Foundation and The Miami Foundation, with support from Knight Foundation, the national Press Forward initiative and other donor partners.
“Independent local journalism has never been easy, and LGBTQ journalism comes with its own unique challenges,” Parsley said. “But we’ve also seen firsthand how much this work matters to our readers. This grant gives us the resources and expertise to build a stronger business, because great journalism depends on a sustainable foundation.”
You can support OutSFL by donating here.
