Adaptive Leadership Course Sponsorship Opportunities
Put your brand behind journalism's next generation of newsroom leaders.
ONA's Adaptive Leadership Skills for First-Time Managers is a four-week, hands-on course for the editors and producers just stepping into management — the people who will shape newsroom culture, hiring and tools for years to come. Sponsoring it is a direct investment in journalism's leadership pipeline, with your brand named as the one backing it.
The course
Led by Kathy Lu — founder of Audiencibility, coordinator of ONA's Women's Leadership Accelerator, and a former Poynter adjunct with two decades in newsroom leadership. Every participant leaves with a personal leadership mission statement, a goals-and-roadmap plan, a private Slack community, and a cohort of fellow new managers for support well beyond the four weeks.
Learn more about the course. | Email Hanaa Rifaey to discuss sponsorship opportunities.
Why sponsor
Rising decision-makers. New managers shape newsroom culture, hiring and team tools for years, making programs like this ideal for building lasting relationships.
ONA's mission, at its core. ONA exists to build adaptive leadership in journalism and an ecosystem powerful enough to meet democracy’s evolving information needs.
Access that lasts. A small, interactive cohort plus a private Slack and an ongoing manager network mean presence that outlives the four weeks.
A story worth your name. Investing in journalism's leadership pipeline is the kind of support funders and brands are proud to stand behind.
Sponsorship opportunities
Underwrite the Program
Put your name on the whole course.
- "Presented by [Brand]" across every session and all course materials
- Logo and a brief brand moment in each of the four live sessions
- A block of scholarship seats credited to your brand
- Presence in the participant Slack and the post-course recap
- First right of refusal across ONA's adaptive leadership series
Fund Scholarships
Open seats for managers who couldn't otherwise attend.
- Fund seats for new managers at local, nonprofit and under-resourced newsrooms
- "Scholarships provided by [Brand]" recognition in course materials
- Receive recipients' contact information for direct follow-up — applicants consent to sharing when they apply
- Sold in blocks at tuition cost — the most direct way to support the mission
Sponsor a Session
Back the week that fits your brand.
- "This session sponsored by [Brand]" on the week you choose
- Natural pairings: resilience → well-being brands, care and accountability → people and feedback tools, collaboration → workflow tools
- Logo and a short brand intro at the top of that session
- A resource or template contributed to that week's materials
Back the Community
Sponsor the network that lasts beyond the course.
- Your name on the private Slack community and ongoing manager network
- Host a value-add AMA or provide a guest leader to support real-talk Q&A
- Sustained, warm presence with a cohort of rising news leaders
- Optional opt-in introductions to participants for relationship-building
Across the leadership series: This course is one of a growing slate of ONA adaptive leadership courses. Any tier can extend across the series for year-round presence and a broader audience of news leaders — ask about series packages. Scholarship blocks are always offered at cost.
On credibility: Sponsor recognition is always clearly labeled and kept separate from the course's independent curriculum. On a leadership topic, a value-first presence — support, not selling — is what keeps the program trusted and your brand welcome in the room.