The Membership Puzzle Project collects and shares knowledge and operational advice on how membership can help sustain independent media. Its Membership in News Fund finances innovative membership models to identify best practices.
Membership Puzzle Project
What is the Membership Puzzle Project?
Founded in 2017 with funding from Luminate, the Membership Puzzle Project:
- Collects what's already known about making membership work by seeking out the people who have deep experience with membership models (including members themselves).
- Researches all the ways that community members can contribute, not just their money, but their knowledge and expertise.
- Funds innovative membership models that are being tested at news sites as part of a global experiment to identify best practices for sustaining independent journalism in the 21st century.
- Synthesizes the key membership lessons learned by journalism organizations around the world.
From September 2020, MDIF provided an institutional home for the Membership Puzzle Project. The project has now formally closed, though it continues to provide essential guidance and research for media seeking to build relationships and – potentially revenues – with readers. Visit the Membership Puzzle Project website.