2026-07-08T15:43:48-06:00 2025-12-31 474306215 Mullins PC 7625 Wisconsin Avenue Bethesda MD 20814 990 2025-01-01 460781654 Local Independent Online News Publishers Inc % Chris Krewson LOCA 2676700357 4023 Kennett Pike STE 50019 Wilmington DE 19807 CHRIS KREWSON Executive Director 2676700357 2026-07-08 true JOHN MULLINS P01429307 2027706371 2026-07-08 2025 2025-03-06 01:10:19Z Chris Krewson 4023 Kennett Pike Ste 50019 Wilmington DE 19807 4606476 false X www.lionpublishers.com X 2012 DE To strengthen the local news industry by helping independent news publishers build more sustainable businesses. 12 12 18 7 0 0 5015142 3296157 6723890 1105920 44619 204399 0 11783651 4606476 3939500 1313655 0 1912839 2304640 0 380672 1176723 1913589 7029062 5531884 4754589 -925408 8882633 8084528 1084437 1210848 7798196 6873680 To strengthen the local news industry by helping independent news publishers build more sustainable businesses. false false 2481434 1310000 468611 Membership Services & LION Awards: We completed the successful Sustainability 360 pilot and launched our first full S360 cohort, providing members with hands-on back-office support and strategic coaching. In parallel, we piloted a new Back Office support program focused on helping early-stage members build strong HR and finance foundations for long-term sustainability. We partnered with Press Forward on a new program that offers Audits and strategic business coaching to the 205 news outlets awarded Closing Local Coverage Gaps grants in 2024. This marks the first time in LION history that a program serves more non members than members. We also launched the members-only LION Growth Grant program, reviewing over 220 applications from members in 48 states, and distributing $750K of a planned total $1.5M to 15 publishers for operational funds to strengthen their business operations. Finally, we piloted and expanded direct consulting services in our Back Office and Sustainability 360 programs, which both included consulting hours with HR and/or Finance experts to provide publishers with hands-on support for strengthening their operations. 790775 3655 397800 Membership Education: More than 150 LIONs participated in peer-led learning groups, culminating in an in-person session at the 2025 Summit. Across the network, the LION community continued to provide a trusted space for publishers to exchange ideas, challenges, and resources during a difficult year for many newsrooms. Year round, LION members and other industry colleagues make up the community of 1600 members in the News Entrepreneur Community Slack. Participants have focused discussion spaces for peer learning and specific LION programs, as well as place-based and other channels that any member of the Slack can contribute to. 650564 239509 Data & Evaluation: We launched the self-serve Audit, transforming a cohort-based, highly customized program into a scalable product available to any LION member at any time. In its first six months, members completed 402 Audits, nearly matching the 450 completed over the programs previous three-year history. 353822 Policy & Advocacy: LION strengthened its member advocacy efforts, shifting from reactive responses to proactively mobilizing members to engage in policy conversations affecting independent news organizations. 353822 4276595 true true false true false false false false false false false false false false false true true false false false true false false false false false false true true true false false false false false true false false false false false false false false false false false true 53 0 true 18 true false false false false false false false false false false false false X 12 12 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false AR CA DC FL GA IL MI NC NY OH OK PA X The Organization 2676700357 4023 Kennett Pike Suite 50019 Wilmington DE 19807 Chris Krewson Executive Director 40.00 0.00 X 221624 0 30494 Lisa Hunter Director of Finance & Operations 40.00 0.00 X 168049 0 15966 Michelle Hunter Director of Development 40.00 0.00 X 152008 0 18045 Chloe Kizer Director of Data and Evaluation 40.00 0.00 X 150734 0 14393 Sarah Gustavus Lim Membership Director 40.00 0.00 X 144663 0 17985 Rockway Andrew AD of Sustainability Audits 40.00 0.00 X 124738 0 14370 Eden Fineday Director 3.00 0.00 X 4000 0 0 Gunita Singh Treasurer & Past Chair 8.00 0.00 X X 1800 0 0 Richard Young Director 3.00 0.00 X 1800 0 0 Cierra Brown Hinton Chair 5.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Neil Chase Vice Chair 3.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Jamaal Glenn Director 3.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Dan Hu Secretary 8.00 0.00 X X 0 0 0 Ariel Zirulnick Director 3.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Anita Li Director 3.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Rebekah Monson Director 3.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Mazin Sidahmed Director 3.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 Vania Andre Director 3.00 0.00 X 0 0 0 969416 0 111253 6 false true false Dakin Ventures 1121 Palomares Court Lafayette CA 94549 HR Support 204991 Celero DBA Blue Engine 102 Kaden Way Austin TX 78738 Forward Program 200000 2 3296157 3296157 Contracts 900099 678309 678309 Conference 900099 327697 327697 Membership Dues 900099 99914 99914 1105920 204399 204399 0 4606476 1105920 0 204399 1290550 1290550 13450 13450 9655 9655 229224 139933 56211 33080 1708955 1043253 419076 246626 59148 38568 10290 10290 154313 102353 25479 26481 153000 95590 35933 21477 69405 69405 334618 269237 63281 2100 603 195 408 40066 17 40006 43 122230 88584 21272 12374 114308 93759 446 20103 9776 9776 Contracted Program Services 791323 791323 Event Expenses 292457 289082 3375 Recruitment & Development 121425 1818 118621 986 Miscellaneous 11981 9362 1890 729 5397 61 2736 2600 5531884 4276595 874617 380672 247782 119585 5039738 4320460 200000 131000 3385198 2446473 9915 42541 1024469 8882633 8084528 1054971 1169036 29466 41812 1084437 1210848 X 3390556 2974335 4407640 3899345 7798196 6873680 8882633 8084528 -925408 892 0 X false true X true false X 1124500 1600680 1533399 1015142 3296157 8569878 1124500 1600680 1533399 1015142 3296157 8569878 4520708 4049170 656 16703 44991 44619 204399 311368 8881246 0.45590 0.23630 X RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED true true false false false false true false false Activities to Influence Legislation (Part II-B, lines 1a-1h) Volunteers 742 total -- Encouraged LION members to reach out to lawmakers and share their experience operating a small business, and how different pieces of legislation might impact the sustainability of their business.Paid Staff or Management Communicated with lawmakers about legislation, and communicated/organized our member publishers to educate lawmakers about legislation. Submitted public testimony and participated in stakeholder discussions about formulating legislation.Direct Contact with Legislators/Staffs/Government Officials Spoke directly with lawmakers about different pieces of legislation that affected the local news industry in different states, and participated in stakeholder group discussions where lawmakers were either leading those groups or in attendance. X 4714465 892 107097 107989 4606476 4606476 5638981 107097 107097 5531884 5531884 Part X, Line 2-Text in footnote regarding FIN 48 (ASC 740) LION accounts for uncertainty in income taxes in accordance with ASC topic, income taxes. This standard clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in tax positions and prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statements regarding a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. LION has determined that there are no uncertain tax positions which qualify for either recognition or disclosure in the financial statements at December 31, 2025. Lions tax returns are subject to examination by the federal and state jurisdictions. true North America Not the United States Grant making Grant Making 9655 North America Not the United States Program services Ind Contracting 91723 101378 101378 false false false false false false true 9 Millones LLC 1503 Ashford Ave apt 1C San Juan PR 00911 660954406 50000 Advocate Foundation Inc dba Dallas 6301 Gaston Ave Suite 850 Dallas TX 75214 205245262 501C3 50000 American Witness 1414 44th Street NW Washington DC 20007 812624011 501C3 50000 Amestoy Communications LLC 314 Rock Ridge Kerrville TX 78028 922534698 50000 Arizona Local Post 2252 E Blacklidge Dr Tucson AZ 85719 872217945 501C3 50000 Borderless Magazine NFP 4753 North Broadway 2nd Floor Chicago IL 60640 831266434 501C3 50000 Community Capital Fund 3200 Wayne Avenue Kansas City MO 64109 454561134 501C3 50000 Independent Arts & Media PO Box 420442 San Francisco CA 94142 943355076 501C3 50000 India Currents Foundation 3343 Belgrove Cir San Jose CA 95148 833257703 501C3 50000 LOOKOUT Publications 221 East Indianola Avenue Phoenix AZ 85012 923129757 501C3 50000 MatSu Sentinel 1150 S Colony Way Ste 3 PMB 112 Palmer AK 99645 991517391 501C3 50000 Robert Davis Shaver Jr 1451 Quentin Road No 328 Lebanon PA 17042 842282691 50000 Santa Cruz Local LLC 877 Cedar St Ste 150 Santa Cruz CA 95060 372064285 501C3 6000 Se Habla Media 907 Kentish Road Unit 02 Lynnwood WA 98036 933501909 50000 Sticky Wicket Media LLC 518 Elms Boulevard Excelsior Springs MO 64024 812961728 50000 The Pulp PO Box 9277 Missoula MT 59807 932918456 501C3 50000 Tiny News Collective 1500 Chestnut Street 2113 Philadelphia PA 19102 853963369 501C3 500000 12 5 Travel Stipends Honoraria 26 13450 X X false false false false false false false false false CHRIS KREWSON Executive Director 211624 10000 8184 22310 252118 CHLOE KIZER Director of Data and Evaluation 140734 10000 2598 11795 165127 LISA HUNTER Director of Finance Operations 158049 10000 5927 10039 184015 SARAH GUSTAVUS LIM Membership Director 134663 10000 5425 12560 162648 MICHELLE HUNTER Director of Development 142008 10000 5425 12620 170053 Cierra Hinton Employee, Blue Engine Collaborative 200000 Vendor payments Board member affiliation. false Eden Fineday Publisher, IndigiNews 4000 Contracting - Community Ambassador Role false Richard Young Publisher, CivicLex 1800 Contracting - Hosting LION Awards false Organizational document changes Part VI line 4 Changes to By-Laws: Amended Mar 21, 2024 throughout upon a vote of the Board of Directors, including to update the following: LIONs mission statement; the extension of the term of the board chair; to clarify the voting officers of The Board; to update the criteria for removing a board member; and to remove the list of various specified classes of members. Form 990 governing body review Part VI line 11 Lisa Hunter, Director of Finance and Operations and Chris Krewson, Executive Director will review the 990 before filing, as well as distribute drafts to The Board of Directors to be reviewed. Conflict of interest policy compliance Part VI line 12c In 2021 LION adopted a more detailed Board conflict of interest policy, and required disclosure statements from all Board members. Questions that arise about potential conflicts of interest are referred to The Board Governance Committee. CEO executive director top management comp Part VI line 15a In 2023 an independent consultant on HR operations re-benchmarked LIONs salary ranges for all roles, and LION benchmarked to the 50th percentile nationally. In 2024 LIONs Board and senior leadership approved re-benchmarking all roles to the 75th percentile nationally in order to be competitive within the journalism support organization space. Other officer or key employee compensation Part VI line 15b In 2023 an independent consultant on HR operations re-benchmarked LIONs salary ranges for all roles, and LION benchmarked to the 50th percentile nationally. In 2024 LIONs Board and senior leadership approved re-benchmarking all roles to the 75th percentile nationally in order to be competitive within the journalism support organization space. Governing documents etc available to public Part VI line 19 The majority of governing documents are available on the website. Anything not on the website is available by request. Not undergone required audits or steps for audit Part XII line 3b The Organization has a committee that assumes responsibility for oversight of the audit of its financial statements and selection of an independent accountant.