Non-Profit Scaling: How can a German media development organization go global?

The non-profit Bonn Institute is dedicated to exploring how journalism needs to evolve in times of crises, complex challenges and rapid change in order to remain relevant and be a strong pillar of democracy. As a response to studies and user behavior that shows that people want more solutions, a variety of perspectives and healthier discussions in journalism, the Bonn Institute works with newsrooms and media organizations to introduce new tools for journalism that is solutions-oriented, diverse in perspectives and that fosters meaningful dialogue on important societal issues. While initially focused on Germany, the Institute has received significant attention from the international media development sector since its inception because its approaches are regarded as innovative and relevant globally. The institute has already responded to the interest by establishing some international partnerships and engaging with select English-language publications and events. Now, they are considering how they can (and whether they should) evolve their current activities into a dedicated, long-term, and sustainable international strategy. The objective of this project is to develop an organizational strategy for the Bonn Institute that both taps into global demand for the offerings that Bonn Institute currently provides just within Germany, and also secures the organization a viable future.