**Google News Initiative helps local news make the leap to digital**
The Google News Initiative (GNI) is a global program that supports journalism through training, funding, and partnerships. One of GNI’s key goals is to help local news organizations make the leap to digital, so they can reach more readers and grow their businesses.
In 2020, GNI launched the Local News Transformation Fund, a $300 million fund to support local news organizations around the world. The fund provides grants to news organizations that are developing new digital products and services, or that are transitioning to a digital-first model.
Since its launch, the Local News Transformation Fund has awarded grants to over 1,000 news organizations in more than 100 countries. These grants have helped news organizations to launch new websites and mobile apps, to develop new revenue streams, and to train their staff in digital journalism skills.
One of the grantees is the **[The Salt Lake Tribune](https://www.sltrib.com/)**, a daily newspaper in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Tribune used its grant to launch a new digital subscription service, which has helped the newspaper to increase its revenue and reach new readers.
Another grantee is the **[Borgen Project](https://borgenproject.org/)**, a nonprofit organization that advocates for policies to combat global poverty. The Borgen Project used its grant to develop a new mobile app that makes it easier for people to learn about and advocate for global poverty issues.
The Google News Initiative is committed to supporting local news organizations as they make the leap to digital. Through the Local News Transformation Fund and other programs, GNI is providing news organizations with the resources they need to succeed in the digital age.
**Here are some of the benefits of digital transformation for local news organizations:**
* **Reach a wider audience:** Digital platforms allow news organizations to reach more readers than ever before..
* **Increase revenue:** Digital subscriptions, advertising, and other revenue streams can help news organizations to grow their businesses..
* **Improve efficiency:** Digital tools can help news organizations to produce and distribute content more efficiently..
* **Innovate:** Digital platforms provide news organizations with the opportunity to experiment with new formats and storytelling techniques.
If you are a local news organization, I encourage you to explore the resources that GNI has to offer. GNI can help you to make the leap to digital and succeed in the digital age..
