The Record is finalist for LION’s Business of the Year

The Record North Shore, a nonprofit community newsroom, is a finalist in a national newsroom awards program from Local Independent Online News Publishers, or LION.

The Record is nominated for the Business of the Year award in the micro/small revenue tier — one of two tiers. The award recognizes a LION member that has made “significant progress toward achieving sustainability through strengthening its operational resilience, financial health and journalistic impact.”

In 2025, The Record increased its revenue by 67% and grew its audience by 32%, through expanded reporting and outreach efforts, and thanks to new support from readers, business sponsors and journalism institutions. Thanks to the growth, since 2023 the newsroom has more than tripled its staff.

Lookout, a nonprofit news organization committed to telling stories about LGBTQ+ individuals based in Arizona, and Oxford Free Press, a nonprofit newsroom based in Oxford, Ohio, are also nominated for the Business of the Year award in the micro/small revenue tier.

“We’ve worked really hard to bring more and better local reporting to our communities,” Record Editor in Chief Joe Coughlin said, “and we don’t do that for awards, but it sure does feel nice for those efforts to be recognized, especially alongside such extraordinary outlets that we admire.

“We are grateful to these communities for embracing our work. That support is how this all works.”

According to LION’s website, the organization received 232 submissions for the Sustainability Awards and selected 58 finalists. The awards will be announced during LION’s Sustainability Summit on Sept. 9 in San Diego.

Founded in 2020, The Record earned a LION award in 2025, as well as one from the Institute for Nonprofit News. In the fall, The Record brought home the two first-place honors: LION’s Financial Health Award and the Institute for Nonprofit News’ INNovator Award for its coffeeshop edition, The Record express.

The Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community newsroom that relies on reader support to fuel its independent local journalism.

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