What Block Club Chicago does

Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit digital news organization (EIN 82-3844275) founded in 2018 by former DNAinfo Chicago editors following that outlet's shutdown. The company delivers hyperlocal, nonpartisan reporting across all 77 Chicago community areas via its website (blockclubchicago.org), a daily morning newsletter, subscriber-only neighborhood newsletters, the Block Club Chicago Podcast on Simplecast, a free iOS/Android mobile app, and an SMS breaking-news program powered by Subtext. Its core technology stack is the Newspack publishing platform, which underpins site operations, membership management, and content distribution.

The organization's business model is reader-funded and multi-stream. Recurring revenue comes from a three-tier individual membership program — Ambassador ($79/year or $10/month), Captain ($100/year or $12/month), and Boss ($250/year or $25/month) — with group, corporate, and student rates available on request. Supplemental revenue is generated through tax-deductible donations, sponsored content (notably 'Block Club Eats presented by Jewel-Osco'), and philanthropic grants, including $1.6M from the American Journalism Project (January 2022) and $1.6M from the Robert R. McCormick Foundation (September 2022).

Distribution is multi-channel and audience-led: active presences on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, Bluesky, Threads, and TikTok, content syndication partnerships with WTTW, Capitol News Illinois, Circle of Blue, and Borderless, plus a merchandise store and free text alerts. The company is headquartered at 333 N. Michigan Ave, Suite 1000, Chicago, and is led by co-founders Jen Sabella (Director of Strategy), Shamus Toomey (Editor-in-Chief), and Stephanie Lulay (Executive Editor). Headcount is reported in the 11–50 range but is not publicly disclosed.

Name

Block Club Chicago

Legal name

Block Club Chicago NFP

Website

https://blockclubchicago.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Block Club Chicago is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization founded in 2018 that delivers hyperlocal, neighborhood-level reporting across all 77 Chicago community areas via a website, newsletters, podcast, mobile app, and SMS alerts, funded by tiered individual memberships, donations, and philanthropic grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue: Reader-paid subscriptions with tiered membership levels (Ambassador, Captain, Boss) providing unlimited access to online stories, subscriber-only newsletters, in-person events, and merchandise discounts.
2. Donations and Grants: Tax-deductible donations from readers and supporters. 501(c)(3) nonprofit status enables charitable giving.
3. Advertising and Sponsorships: Sponsored content sections such as 'Block Club Eats presented by Jewel-Osco'. Advertising opportunities available for purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Block Club Chicago is a nonprofit, reader-funded 501(c)(3) news organization that delivers hyperlocal, neighborhood-level reporting across Chicago's 77 community areas through a website, email newsletters, podcast series, mobile applications, and SMS text alerts. Coverage spans news, business, arts, culture, and investigations, with membership subscriptions supporting unlimited access and donor contributions underwriting the independent newsroom.

Product overview

Block Club Chicago is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) news organization offering a multi-platform local news operation. The core product is its website (blockclubchicago.org) delivering hyperlocal neighborhood journalism across Chicago's diverse communities. The organization complements its written coverage with a podcast (The Block Club Chicago Podcast via Simplecast), multiple email newsletters including the daily Citywide Morning Newsletter and Block Club Eats, and a free mobile app available in app stores. Revenue is generated through membership subscriptions (Ambassador, Captain, and Boss tiers), merchandise sales through the Block Club Shop, and tax-deductible donations. The SMS Text Alert program provides breaking news via text message.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Block Club Chicago Website A nonprofit, hyperlocal news website providing neighborhood-level reporting across Chicago's 77 diverse community areas through written articles, multimedia content, and community-focused journalism. Targeted at Chicago residents seeking reliable, nonpartisan coverage of their neighborhoods.
• Email Newsletters Email newsletters including the daily Citywide Morning Newsletter delivering top stories from all Chicago neighborhoods, plus Block Club Eats for food and beverage coverage, and subscriber-only neighborhood newsletters. Targeted at Chicago residents and paying subscribers.
• Block Club Chicago Podcast A podcast series featuring investigative reporting and neighborhood news coverage, hosted on Simplecast and distributed through major podcast platforms. Targeted at Chicago residents and broader podcast audience interested in local investigative journalism.
• Mobile App A free mobile application available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store delivering the latest neighborhood news and Arts & Culture coverage for iOS and Android users in Chicago.
• Membership Subscriptions Three-tiered membership program offering unlimited access to stories and newsletters. Ambassador ($79/year or $10/month), Captain ($100/year or $12/month), and Boss ($250/year or $25/month) tiers with perks including merchandise discounts, exclusive events, subscriber-only newsletters, and annual thank-you gifts. Targeted at Chicago residents who want to support and access independent local journalism.
• SMS Text Alert Program A text messaging service providing subscribers with breaking news alerts, major story updates, important announcements, event reminders, and occasional membership or fundraising messages. Powered by Subtext technology. Targeted at Chicago residents and subscribers wanting real-time news delivery.
• Block Club Shop An online merchandise store offering T-shirts, tote bags, prints, and other branded items featuring Block Club Chicago designs. Targeted at supporters and Chicago residents who want branded merchandise, with discounts offered to higher-tier subscribers.
• Donations Tax-deductible donation options supporting the nonprofit news organization's independent, journalist-run newsroom. Available to readers and supporters who want to contribute beyond subscription fees.

Quantifiable outcome

• Independent, nonprofit newsroom with community support as evidenced by 800 birthday supporters goal and nearly 2,000 reader votes on birthday merchandise design

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• WTTWminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContent partnership where Block Club Chicago stories are published and shared through WTTW's platform, expanding reach for local Chicago news coverage.
• Capitol News IllinoisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Capitol News Illinois for state-level political and legislative coverage, with stories syndicated to Block Club Chicago.
• Circle of BlueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for environmental reporting, with Circle of Blue stories published on Block Club Chicago covering water and environmental issues affecting Chicago.
• BorderlessminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Borderless for cultural and community coverage, with stories by Borderless journalists appearing on Block Club Chicago.
• Jewel-OscominorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsored content program 'Block Club Eats presented by Jewel-Osco' covering Chicago's food and beverage industry.
• NewspackcoreTechnology or IntegrationPublishing platform powering Block Club Chicago's website and digital operations. Powered by Newspack technology.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• VTDigger: Vermont-focused nonprofit digital news outlet with reader-supported model. Highly comparable in scale, membership tiers, daily newsletter cadence, and reliance on foundation grants.
• Spotlight PA: Pennsylvania-based collaborative nonprofit investigative newsroom. Comparable as a nonprofit investigative news organization funded by donations and foundation grants with a hyperlocal-to-state lens.
• The Daily Memphian: Reader-funded nonprofit local news outlet serving Memphis. Closely analogous business model: subscription tiers, daily newsletter, hyperlocal metropolitan coverage, and donor-supported operations.
• CalMatters: California-focused nonprofit news outlet with syndication partnerships and donor-supported model. Comparable in nonprofit funding mix, syndication strategy, and reader-funded journalism.
• The 19th News: National nonprofit newsroom with a mission-driven editorial focus and donor/subscription funding. Comparable as a nonprofit digital news outlet built around a specific audience and underwriting model.
• The Texas Tribune: Large nonprofit state-level news organization using reader memberships, events, and donations. Comparable in nonprofit structure, membership tiers, and event-based community engagement model.
• The Markup: Nonprofit investigative news outlet focused on technology and society, donor-supported. Comparable as a digitally native nonprofit newsroom with subscription and donation revenue streams.
• City Bureau: Chicago-based nonprofit journalism and civic news organization. Most directly comparable peer—shared Chicago hyperlocal focus, nonprofit model, and civic-reporting mission with overlapping coverage areas.

Broad incumbents

• Chicago Tribune: Major regional daily newspaper covering Chicago metro. Direct competitor for local news attention and advertising, but operates a much broader geographic and topical scope as an established incumbent.
• Chicago Sun-Times: Established Chicago daily newspaper with broader metro coverage. Overlaps with Block Club's Chicago audience and competes for advertising/subscription dollars, but operates as a traditional for-profit legacy outlet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BlockClubCHI
• Facebookfacebook.com/blockclubchi
• Instagraminstagram.com/blockclubchi
• TikToktiktok.com/@blockclubchi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/block-club-chicago-nfp

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Block Club Chicago