National Trust for Local News

What National Trust for Local News does

National Trust for Local News (NTLN), founded in 2021 and headquartered in Colorado, is a private nonprofit organization (EIN 86-2022385) that acquires, stabilizes, and revitalizes local newspapers through a state-trust structure spanning Maine Trust for Local News, Georgia Trust for Local News, and Colorado Trust for Local News. It operates 21 newsrooms with 64 newspaper titles and 215 journalists, serving approximately 6 million people across more than 40 counties in three U.S. states. Flagship products include Portland Press Herald, Sun Journal, Morning Sentinel/Kennebec Journal, The Courier Herald, The Albany Herald, and The Macon Melody startup newsroom; supporting sub-brands include Varsity Maine (high school sports), Fact Briefs (anti-misinformation editorial feature developed with Gigafact), Kids Corner (educational outreach), and Digital Voter Guides covering elections such as 138 Maine races.

NTLN's business model combines philanthropic capital with earned revenue. Unrestricted donations (accepted in cash, publicly-traded stocks, and bonds; gifts disclosed at $5,000+) from individual philanthropists, family foundations, institutional funders, and corporate partners flow alongside subscription, advertising, events, and sponsorship revenue. Grants from the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, Knight Foundation, and Google News Initiative have funded specific initiatives including Varsity Maine social video and the "Dublin: Slightly Off the Record" podcast. The Trust Press, a DGM 430 community printing facility northeast of Denver launched December 2024, generates earned revenue by serving 38+ external publication partners with claimed 15-40% cost savings. In May 2025 NTLN sold 21 metro-Denver publications to Times Media Group while retaining seven Colorado publications and entering a shared-services and printing partnership.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across multiple streams — donations/philanthropy, recurring subscriptions, advertising across 64 titles, events, sponsorships (e.g., Maine State Credit Union through 2026-2027 school year), and Trust Press printing services — with pricing on donations ranging from $10–$500 monthly or one-time. NTLN distributes content through owned news websites, print newspapers, podcasts, social media (Varsity Maine Instagram grew 22x to 16,600 followers), voter guides, and classroom distribution programs, supported by a leadership team including CEO Tom Wiley (former Buffalo News publisher), COO Bryan Harbison, CFO Greg Curling, Chief Portfolio Officer Ross McDuffie, and Chief Innovation Officer Brian Connolly, alongside a board chaired by former Amalgamated Bank CEO Keith Mestrich.

Name

National Trust for Local News

Legal name

National Trust for Local News

Website

https://www.nationaltrustforlocalnews.org/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Trust for Local News is a 2021-founded nonprofit that acquires, stabilizes, and revitalizes local newspapers through state trusts in Maine, Georgia, and Colorado, operating 64 titles, 21 newsrooms, and 215 journalists serving 6 million people via philanthropic and earned revenue streams.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Local Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Local & Regional Newspapers (Print & Digital) (MPAJADAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)

Keywords

• Local newspaper publishing
• Nonprofit news media
• Community journalism services
• State trust newspapers
• Local news preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Englewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations and Philanthropy: Unrestricted donations from individual philanthropists, family foundations, institutional funders, and corporate partners. Accepts donations of cash or publicly-traded stocks/bonds. Declines donations from political parties or active candidates. Discloses donations of $5,000 or more.
2. Subscriptions: Subscription revenue from digital and print publications across Maine, Georgia, and Colorado newsrooms
3. Advertising: Local advertising revenue across 64+ news titles serving communities in three states
4. Events: Events revenue supporting community engagement and journalism programs
5. Printing Services: The Trust Press generates earned revenue by providing printing services to 38+ external publications. Customers report 15-40% cost savings. Expected to be profitable by end of year.
6. Sponsorships: Sponsorships for content programs such as Maine State Credit Union sponsoring Varsity Maine texting programs and newsletter through 2026-2027 school year

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The National Trust for Local News is a nonprofit organization that acquires, stabilizes, and revitalizes local newspapers through three state-level trusts (Maine Trust, Georgia Trust, Colorado Trust). It operates 64 news titles across 21 newsrooms employing 215 journalists, functioning as the primary source of local news for 6 million people, while running The Trust Press community printing facility and digital platforms such as Varsity Maine.

Product overview

National Trust for Local News is a nonprofit news organization operating a portfolio of local newspapers across three state trusts—Maine Trust for Local News, Georgia Trust for Local News, and Colorado Trust for Local News. The organization follows an 'Acquire. Stabilize. Revitalize.' model to preserve local journalism. Its core products include flagship newspapers (Portland Press Herald, Sun Journal, Morning Sentinel/Kennebec Journal), regional papers (The Macon Melody, The Courier Herald, The Albany Herald), and digital platforms. Supporting infrastructure includes Trust Press (community printing press), Varsity Maine (high school sports brand), and editorial features like Fact Briefs and digital voter guides. The organization serves as the primary source of local news for six million people across Maine, Georgia, and Colorado through 64 news titles and 215 journalists in 21 newsrooms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dublin: Slightly Off the Record: Podcast featuring community history and current events from local residents in Dublin, Georgia
• Varsity Maine
• Fact Briefs
• The Trust Press
• The Macon Melody
• Georgia Trust for Local News
• Maine Trust for Local News
• Colorado Trust for Local News

Products and services

• Portland Press Herald
• Sun Journal
• Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal
• The Macon Melody
• The Courier Herald
• The Albany Herald
• The Trust Press
• Varsity Maine
• Fact Briefs
• Digital Voter Guide

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 million people served with local news
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The New York TimescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Press Herald collaborates with The New York Times and Siena Research Institute to deliver polling ahead of 2026 elections. First poll released showing tight race for Maine's U.S. Senate seat.
• Siena Research InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2025Press Herald collaborates with The New York Times and Siena Research Institute to deliver polling ahead of 2026 elections in Maine.
• Times Media GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 May 2025Strategic partnership: TMG acquired 21 National Trust publications in metro Denver; National Trust retains 7 publications. TMG will print with Trust Press. TMG provides shared services including page design, digital infrastructure, advertising sales, and circulation management for Colorado Trust.
• Mercer UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2025Partnership with Mercer University visual journalism professor for social video training session. The Macon Melody located at Mercer University Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism. 19 GTLN journalists trained.
• 38+ External Publication Partners (Colorado)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 December 2024Trust Press provides printing services to 38+ external publication titles including community, ethnic, and college publications. Saves customers 15-40% on printing costs.
• GigafactcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2024Gigafact developed Fact Briefs editorial product used by Maine Trust and Georgia Trust (Macon Melody). Nonprofit provides tools, training, and support at no cost. Fact Briefs have drawn 200,000 readers.
• Maine State Credit UnionminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Sponsorship of Varsity Maine texting programs and newsletter through 2026-2027 school year.
• Institute for Nonprofit NewscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Trust follows INCN principles for gift acceptance policy. INCN standards ensure philanthropy supports local news without influencing editorial decisions.
• American Journalism ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Trust follows American Journalism Project principles for gift acceptance policy. Standards ensure philanthropy supports local news sustainability.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• American Journalism Project: National nonprofit venture philanthropy fund for local news; comparable in mission (saving local journalism) and funder relationships, but funds rather than operates newsrooms directly.
• Institute for Nonprofit News: Network of nonprofit news organizations; NTLN's gift-acceptance standards explicitly follow INN principles — a comparable nonprofit-news ecosystem peer.

Direct peers

• Ogden Newspapers: Family-owned chain of ~40 daily and weekly community newspapers across the U.S.; the closest privately-held analog to NTLN's small-city/community-newspaper focus.
• CNHI (Community Newspaper Holdings Inc.): Owns ~100 community newspapers across the U.S.; directly comparable in community-newspaper portfolio strategy and small-market operating model.
• Times Media Group: Arizona-based community newspaper operator that acquired 21 NTLN publications in 2025; directly comparable in community-newspaper acquisition and shared-services model.

Broad incumbents

• Gannett: Largest U.S. newspaper chain (USA Today and hundreds of community dailies); competes for local-news audiences and ad dollars across many of the same geographies NTLN serves.
• McClatchy: Mid-size newspaper chain acquired by Chatham Asset Management; comparable in operating community/regional papers and shares the same digital-transformation challenges NTLN addresses.
• Tribune Publishing: Operates regional metropolitan dailies; comparable in newspaper publishing operations, though focused on larger metros than NTLN's community markets.
• Hearst Newspapers: Division of Hearst operating ~24 dailies and 50+ weeklies; comparable in regional newspaper publishing and digital subscription strategy.
• Lee Enterprises: Operates ~75 daily newspapers and 350+ weekly publications across the U.S.; a direct large-scale community-newspaper operator with overlapping rural/small-city exposure.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@VarsityMaine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-trust-for-local-news
• Instagraminstagram.com/varsity.maine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles18 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about National Trust for Local News