2025 International Press Institute (IPI) Local News Accelerator

📝 About Local News Accelerator

The 2025 International Press Institute (IPI) Local News Accelerator is a four-month program designed to support digital innovation in local news for medium and long-term viability. This program provides personalized advisory services, tools, and guidance to help local media organizations enhance their financial and editorial sustainability.

Key Features:

• Direct Needs Assessments: One month of assessments to identify pain points, problem statements, and map solutions.
• Intensive Training: Focused on problem-solving, audience research, strategic planning, and journalism formats (audio, video, newsletters) for user engagement.
• Personalized Advisory Services: One-on-one coaching with flexible, on-demand industry experts.

🎯 Benefits of Local News Accelerator

The accelerator is tailored to support local newsrooms in starting or pivoting their business. Key benefits include:

• Comprehensive one-on-one needs assessment by IPI’s in-house experts.
• Personalized advisory services to maximize program benefits.
• Access to a global community of local news innovators.
• Guidance to identify and deliver solutions for financial and editorial sustainability.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To apply for the Local News Accelerator, your organization must meet the following requirements:

• Be a legally registered media organization from anywhere in the world.
• Have a clear focus on serving local audiences, with news tailored to the specific needs of the local community.
• Demonstrate a commitment to producing quality original journalism, adherence to ethical journalism practices, and press freedom.
• Have a team of at least two individuals willing to commit to accelerator activities for four months (approximately four hours per week, divided between the team).
• Possess a solid business case and understanding of your audience, supported by audience or market research.
• Show a willingness to explore and implement new ideas, tools, and technologies to enhance storytelling and audience engagement.
• Have a clear vision for the future of your media organization, including plans for growth, expansion, or adaptation.
• Submit a proposal outlining a specific need and solution (Note: this project may evolve during the accelerator period).

📅 Application Date and Process

• Application Deadline: 24 August 2025 (23:59 CEST)
• Submission Process:
  • Complete the application form here.
  • Applicants can save their progress and return to the form until submission.
  • Only applications in English submitted via the Jotform platform will be considered.
  • Once submitted, applications cannot be edited.
  • A confirmation email will be sent upon submission.

Info Sessions:

• July 28, 2025 at 15:00 CEST
• August 11, 2025 at 11:00 CEST

For questions about eligibility, contact: innovation[at]ipi.media.

📋 Selection Process

A jury of internally appointed experts will assess applications based on the criteria established in the call. Selected projects will participate in the accelerator program.

📌 Important Dates

• Date Published: July 18, 2025
• Application Deadline: August 24, 2025

🌟 Sponsor Organization

This opportunity is sponsored by the International Press Institute (IPI).

For more details and to apply, visit the Local News Accelerator 2025 application page.

• The accelerator is designed to support local newsrooms getting started or pivoting their business.
• They provide structure and support to identify and help deliver solutions that will advance their projects toward financial and editorial sustainability.
• IPI’s in-house experts will conduct a comprehensive one-on-one needs assessment and provide guidance and personalized advisory services to maximize successful applicants’ benefits from the programme.
• Gain access to a community of local news innovators from around the world.