CIMA-Investigative Journalism - Dave Kaplan

Better fundraising. Few groups can afford the kind of development professionals who work
in the big U.S. nonprofits. Those developing local funding sources, moreover, can face major
obstacles: a lack of philanthropic traditions and economic incentives to donate, and attempts
by powerful political and economic interests to influence coverage. But many groups appear
relatively unsophisticated in fundraising and could do much to improve and diversify their donor
base. One important measure is better research on potential donors–both government and private.
Many groups lack even a “DONATE” button on their websites or mailing lists to appeal for
contributions. In Latin America several nonprofits have been successful in finding independent,
local backers, while groups in Eastern Europe have tapped into expatriate communities for
support. In the CIMA survey, the major sources of funding cited most by responding groups
were, in order, private foundations, the EU and its member governments, the U.S. government,
and private individuals. Only 26 percent cited individual donors as a significant source,
suggesting that this is a potential area of growth.
Commercial media fees. Many of the nonprofits give away their stories, a response to the
controversial nature of their reporting and pressure from donors to maximize impact. But
commercial fees from news media can make a substantial contribution to a nonprofit’s budget.
Television news programs tend to pay particularly well and are widely watched. Doing contract
work for foreign media can also be lucrative, and some groups are considering setting up a unit to
do day-rate work for visiting reporters, helping on documents, research, and reporting.
Training and teaching. Training journalists and students in investigative techniques can be
an important source of revenue. In the CIMA survey, 84 percent reported that they are already
engaged in training. Affiliation with a university can also help, through teaching fees, subsidized
office space, cheap or free student labor, and institutional protection. The survey found that 27
percent of the groups were affiliated with a university.
Membership dues and newsletters. Offering memberships for a reasonable fee could bring in
needed income. Members could receive a regular newsletter, briefings by staff members, and
early announcements of major stories. Writing a subscription-only “insider” newsletter, offered at
a premium to interested clients, could also raise needed funds.
Events and benefits: Some nonprofits hold regular events, such as public forums and lectures by
famous speakers, as benefits for the organization.
Crowd-funding: Sites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo allow enterprising groups to fundraise
online, and there are signs that the practice will only increase. By using social media, crafting
clever pitches, and offering important, attractive projects, media professionals have raised tens of
thousands of dollars through these sites.
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CIMA Research Report: Global Investigative Journalism