GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Native News Online has launched its annual year-end fundraising campaign, a month-long effort to sustain the independent, Native-centered journalism readers rely on.
The campaign began Dec. 1 and comes at a critical moment. Publisher Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) said 2025 has been one of the most challenging years in the outlet’s history, driven in part by a steep decline in advertising revenue. Several advertisers — including federal agencies — have pulled back spending amid the broader anti-DEI movement, affecting publications that highlight and serve Native communities.
The result has reflected a drop in over 35 percent of advertising revenue.
“At the beginning of the year, we adopted the mantra ‘Warrior Journalism: Defending Tribal Sovereignty,’” Rickert said. “It’s more than a slogan. It reflects how we report every day as support erodes for the underrepresented in this country.”
Please support our year-end campaign. CLICK HERE TO DONATE.
Rickert pointed to federal resistance during this year’s government shutdown to fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, commonly known as the food stamp program, as one example of the inequities the newsroom has covered. “Our leaders continue to favor billionaires over those in need. Your support helps us tell the stories that expose these realities,” he said.
Native News Online has grown far beyond its initial mission, becoming a national resource for other media, educators, researchers, and readers seeking accurate, timely coverage of Indian Country.
Rickert said readers will see more appeals from Native News Online than usual during December, emphasizing that every contribution directly supports reporting on issues affecting tribal nations, sovereignty and Native people nationwide.
“Your support is critically important,” he said. “It ensures we can continue delivering the quality journalism you expect — and that Indian Country deserves.”