Reilly Emerging Media
Strategic Partner to Mission-Driven Organizations Building Sustainable Growth and Impact
Specializing in Journalism, Media Development, Local News, Youth Media and Narrative Change
Consulting Services
Strategy
Whether navigating a start up, growth, transition, or transformation, a clear plan that aligns mission with capacity is key to success. We will utilize financial acumen, organizational planning, program development, investment analysis, and diversified revenue planning to give your organization a stronger base to serve from. In the quickly changing media ecosystem, this work is critical.
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By combining strategic thinking with practical implementation, we ensure your plan translates into actionable, measurable steps that advance your mission, aligns stakeholders, and strengthens the organization.
Development
Strong philanthropic partnerships transform organizations and communities. Beginning with a deep understanding of your mission, I create compelling assets, research aligned opportunities, make connections, develop proposals, and can manage the process through impact measurement.
Organizations—especially those building from the ground up—need systems, know-how, and confidence to grow their funding independently. My approach builds that capacity, with authentic narratives, fundraising and marketing templates, pipelines, and program frameworks, that help make raising revenue and resources into an ongoing strength for your team.
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Communications
Powerful storytelling drives understanding, connection, and engagement. Sustainable organizations rely on authentic narratives that inform, inspire, and move audiences to action. From strategic messaging frameworks to grant proposals, annual reports to program content, I craft narratives based on an understanding of your values and through the lens of what will resonate most with audiences, stakeholders, funding partners and impacted communities.
Whether you need to articulate your program, clarify your value proposition, amplify the voices of those in your community, I create communications that honor your mission while advancing your goals.
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Business Model Review
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Product and Program Design
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Content Strategy
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Mission Statement and Goals
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Operational Plans
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Organizational Planning
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Strategic Plan
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Development Program Audit
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Funding Partner Research
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Grant Development
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Partnership Engagement
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​Systems and Training
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Membership Program Design
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Audience Growth
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Messaging Audit
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Branding
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Proposals
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Reports
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Narrative
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Interviews and Articles
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Digital and Newsletter Content
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
​We worked with Fran to identify fundraising opportunities in the United States. She delivered that work with care and clarity, but her contribution went far beyond research. She helped us sharpen our messaging, improve our marketing materials, and prepare for key donor conversations. Her understanding of the US philanthropic landscape for media and public interest journalism is exceptional, and her insights were consistently practical and well-judged.
Fran is collaborative and thoughtful. She listens, asks the right questions, and slots into the team in a very natural way. Our fundraising function is stronger and more confident because of our work with her. We would recommend her without hesitation.
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Leah Tronel, Director of Development
London, UK
LJMN Media
Fran has been an immense help in organizing and professionalizing our foundation outreach. Her talents are multifaceted, ranging from strategic advice, to matching specific grant opportunities to our initiatives, to rolling up her sleeves and helping us write proposals that secured new partner funding. She is a delight to work with and truly cares about our local news mission. We highly recommend Fran.
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Tom Carley, COO
LJMN Media, CT. and NY
City Limits News
I have enormous respect for Fran who brought significant value to City Limits News. She helped us prioritize, increase revenue, grow our newsroom and better serve our community. Fran opened up important funding partnerships that were instrumental in launching a Public Housing reporting beat, a Spanish language reporting initiative, and of course, CLARIFY, the amazing training program for underserved high school students that she built, giving hundreds of youth the opportunity to develop self confidence, critical thinking, and writing skills that will serve them for life. Fran is an innovative, thoughtful partner who I highly recommend
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Marjorie Martay, Former Executive Director
City Limits News, NYC
Select Clients & Collaborators
Nonprofit News & Journalism
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The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
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City Limits News
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CLARIFY News
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The Highlands Current
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The Lakeville Journal
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Millerton News
Nonprofit Organizations
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Etruscan Press
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CASA-NYC
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World Science Festival
Publications & Media
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Mother Jones Magazine
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The Atlantic
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MAKE:
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Martha Stewart Living Magazine
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Parenting Magazine
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Parent & Child Magazine
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Vibe Magazine
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Prevention Magazine
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Organic Style Magazine
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New York Times Upfront Magazine
About
Fran Reilly is Principal and Senior Consultant of Reilly Emerging Media. Having led organizations as both publisher and executive director, she understands the challenges, priorities, and opportunities mission-driven leaders face—bringing deep expertise in business models, philanthropic partnerships, growth plans, and strategic storytelling.
A trusted, entrepreneurial advisor, earlier in her career Fran was a business development executive on multiple national media startups as an executive on the launch teams of Parenting Magazine, VIBE Magazine (a joint venture with Quincy Jones), and Martha Stewart Living Magazine. At Scholastic, she directed the launch of The New York Times Upfront Magazine. Fran began her career at The Atlantic Monthly and later became Associate Publisher of Mother Jones Magazine. More recently, she served as Executive Director and Publisher of City Limits News, New York City's oldest nonprofit investigative news agency, where she increased organizational revenue by 300%. While there, she built CLARIFY News, a reporting internship program giving high school students from underserved communities opportunities to develop writing, critical thinking, and workforce skills through public service journalism. Fran holds an MFA in Creative Writing, which informs her approach to strategic communications and narrative development. She is based in the NYC metro area.
"Real change happens when we illuminate both the individual story and the systemic forces at work—when we reveal not just what's broken, but who's affected and why it matters. A thriving independent press isn't just important to a democratic society, it's essential. Without it, inequity remains invisible, policies go unquestioned, and the people most affected stay unheard. I want my work to ensure stories that can drive positive change have a sustainable platform to break through, inspire understanding, and catalyze action."
FranReilly
Let's explore working together.
I welcome the opportunity to learn more about your organization. Whether you're building philanthropic partnerships, developing strategic direction, strengthening your organizational narrative, or launching digital content and building audiences, I bring experience that can support your mission and goals.