News organizations in the U.S. and Canada can now apply to join the Facebook Journalism Project Digital Subscriptions and Memberships Accelerator programs. 

Apply to the Subscriptions Accelerator

Apply to the Memberships Accelerator 

Eligible newsrooms can apply until 3/19/2021 at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

The Accelerator, Facebook’s premier journalism sustainability training program, involves intensive training in essentials to building a sustainable media business, one-to-one coaching with an industry expert and grant support to implement new strategies. (It is not focused on Facebook tools or services.)

In 2021, the Facebook Journalism Project will host two Accelerator programs for publishers in North America, which will begin the week of April 12th, 2021.

One program will focus on digital subscriptions. One program will focus on membership. The projects are defined broadly, as follows.

  • Digital subscriptions. You ask your audience to pay for access to your content.
  • Memberships. You ask your audience to contribute voluntarily. This may take the form of a paid membership, donations or other reader contributions.

“This is an incredible opportunity for local media organizations to grow their reader revenue strategies,” said Nancy Lane, chief executive officer of the Local Media Association. “We are honored to work with the Facebook Journalism Project as a partner in this important industry initiative.”

You are eligible to apply if you meet the following criteria:

  • You are a news organization of any type (digital, print, broadcast, etc.) in the United States or Canada.
  • You have an existing digital reader revenue line of business (subscriptions, memberships, reader contributions, donations, etc.).
  • You have not participated in an Accelerator program focused on reader revenue.

Your application will be given extra merit if you meet any of the following criteria:

  • Your news organization is owned or led by Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian and/or other people of color.
  • Your news organization serves a defined local community.

An informational webinar will take place on Wednesday, March 10 to provide more insight on the application process and answer frequently asked questions. Sign up for the webinar here.

You can learn more about the Accelerator program here. Email any questions you have to Accelerator@FB.com and sign up for the Facebook Journalism Project newsletter to receive regular updates.