Cardinal News accelerates growth with BlueLena partnership

Background

Launched in the summer of 2021, Cardinal News is an independent, nonprofit newsroom dedicated to in-depth, nonpartisan reporting on issues in Southwest and Southside Virginia – regions historically underserved by traditional media. With a lean team and a mission-driven approach, Cardinal News relies on reader support to sustain its independent journalism.

By the end of 2023, Cardinal News was looking for a partner to help further scale its audience and expand its revenue streams. The organization joined the BlueLena community in January 2024, seeking its strategic expertise and best-in-class audience management platform built specifically for mission-driven media organizations.

The Challenge

Prior to joining BlueLena, Cardinal News faced several key challenges:

• Limited internal capacity for audience development
• A need for more sophisticated segmentation and engagement strategies
• Desire to grow recurring donor revenue through memberships
• Workflows and tools that limited efficiency and insight

The Solution

Through its partnership with BlueLena, Cardinal News gained access to a comprehensive suite of services tailored to nonprofit newsrooms, including:

• Audience Management Technology: Cardinal News migrated to BlueLena’s integrated platform, centralizing subscriber data and enabling smarter segmentation and automation.
• Strategy Consulting: BlueLena’s team provided hands-on guidance to refine newsletter and fundraising strategies, optimize onboarding journeys, and enhance user experience.
• Lifecycle Marketing Campaigns: Cardinal News implemented targeted email series that moved readers along the path from newsletter subscriber to paying member.

Key Initiatives and Tactics

1. Newsletter Optimization

With BlueLena’s support, Cardinal News refined its welcome series, increased sending frequency, and introduced dynamic content tailored to subscriber interests.

2. Membership Conversion

A/B testing of calls-to-action, donor appeals, and renewal messaging improved both first-time and recurring contributions. Campaigns were designed collaboratively around high-impact reporting, milestones, and community testimonials.

3. Data-Driven Insights

BlueLena’s platform enabled Cardinal News to better understand audience behaviors and segment outreach accordingly. The team began using engagement scores to prioritize high-potential donors and reactivate lapsed members.

Results (Jan – May 2025)

• 38% Growth in Newsletter Subscribers: More than one-third growth in their email list helped Cardinal News expand its reach and promote more engagement with readers.
• 28% Increase in Membership Revenue: A blend of new recurring contributions and increased donation amounts driven by improved audience journeys and targeted campaigns.

What’s Next

With a stronger foundation in place, Cardinal News plans to expand into new coverage areas and launch additional newsletters to serve niche audience interests. With continued support from BlueLena, they’re building a sustainable, scalable model for nonprofit journalism rooted in community engagement.

“Our partnership with BlueLena that has provided us with engagement scoring has been transformative. We now have the tools and strategic guidance to grow our audience and deepen our connection with readers in a way that aligns with our mission and values.”

– Luanne Rife, Executive Director, Cardinal News

About Cardinal News

Cardinal News is an independent, nonprofit, and nonpartisan digital news organization founded in 2021 to serve Southwest and Southside Virginia. Established by veteran journalists and media professionals, including Luanne Rife, Debbie Meade, and Chris Turnbull, the outlet was created in response to significant reductions in local news coverage by legacy newspapers in the region. Cardinal News focuses on in-depth reporting on politics, economic development, education, health, and culture, aiming to amplify the voices of communities often overlooked in statewide conversations. 

About BlueLena

BlueLena is a strategy consulting and audience management platform founded in 2020 to support the sustainability of independent local media. By combining cutting-edge technology with expert-driven services, BlueLena helps over 250 news organizations across North America develop and manage subscription, membership, and donation models. Its unique shared-resource management approach provides publishers, regardless of size, with access to enterprise-level tools and personalized support, enabling them to focus on high-quality journalism while building loyal, revenue-generating audiences. 

BlueLena is majority employee-owned, and backed by investors including Automattic (the parent company of WordPress), the Local Media Association, and Old Town Media.