How Newsday Built a Successful Cause Marketing Platform That Serves Both Business and Community

Nannette Fevola shares the behind-the-scenes playbook from Together Long Island.

When Nannette Fevola set out to launch Newsday’s Together Long Island program, she wasn’t just building another sponsorship package. She was building a community movement — and a smart, sustainable revenue stream.

"The goal here was to build a program that allowed Newsday to bring together companies, causes, and communities, really take a leadership role, and shine a spotlight on the good work that's being done. But we also wanted to give businesses a platform to align with and support local causes," said Fevola, Newsday’s Senior Director, Client Solutions and Branded Content, during a recent Big Branded Call.

The idea was simple, but powerful: help businesses connect with causes that matter to them and tell their stories across Newsday’s trusted platforms.

Building From the Nonprofit Side

Unlike many cause marketing efforts that start by targeting advertisers, Fevola and her team flipped the process entirely.

"We started with the nonprofit side first. We have a strong relationship with the nonprofit community here on Long Island," she explained. "We partnered with the United Way and invited their nonprofit community partners to share their missions, goals, events, and funding needs in individual profiles under the Together Long Island microsite."

That work led to a searchable nonprofit directory that became the foundation of the program. With nonprofits on board, Newsday’s team could then approach businesses with a curated approach.

"We built the nonprofit directory first. And then we were able to go to businesses and say, 'Hey, you’ve told us you care about youth development or the environment or mental health — here’s a list of local organizations who are doing great work in that area. We can help you tell your story and highlight your involvement,'" Fevola said. In addition, for-profit companies could promote content dedicated to the work they were doing in the community outside of their charitable endeavors.

Storytelling Over Sponsorships

One key difference in Together Long Island’s approach: branded content takes center stage, rather than traditional sponsorship signage.

"This is not a sponsorship program. It’s not 'Here’s your logo; here’s your sign.' It’s really about giving companies an opportunity to tell their stories, show their impact and invite Long Islanders to help make a difference," Fevola said.

"They want to talk about what they’re doing, how they’re helping, and who they’re working with," she explained. "They don’t want a 30-second spot that says, 'I gave money to this group.' They want to explain why it matters and the impact it has in the communities they serve."

That deeper storytelling approach resonated with businesses and opened stronger conversations around value and mission alignment.

A Different Sales Conversation

For Newsday’s sales team, this meant shifting from transactional sponsorships to consultative partnership building.

"We lead with the mission and the why. It's not a one-size-fits-all product. We sit down and have real conversations about what they care about, what causes they’re passionate about, and then we tailor the program around that," Fevola said.

That approach often uncovered insights sales teams wouldn’t have learned through traditional prospecting.

"It’s a door opener. When you start talking to a business about what causes matter to them, you find out things you never knew. You find out where the CEO is involved, what personal experiences shaped the company’s philanthropy. It changes the whole conversation," she said. And added, it can also lead to altogether new budgets to fund the effort.

Preparing the Sales Team

Fevola acknowledged that this consultative approach required new training for reps. The sales team needed tools and confidence to lead with conversations, not just packages.

"This was new for us, too," Fevola said. "We had to train the team to have those more consultative conversations. We provided them with nonprofit profiles, cause categories, talking points, and sample questions to help them open those discussions."

That training paid off as reps shifted into a more strategic mindset.

"Reps started to see that these weren’t transactional sales. They were relationship-building conversations that led to bigger, more meaningful programs, and often with new players at their accounts," she said.

Real Results and Long-Term Value

The program quickly delivered early revenue success while also strengthening community positioning for Newsday.

"We’re seeing companies who want to come in at higher levels because they recognize the value of being aligned with these causes and having their story told in a meaningful way," Fevola said.

Local nonprofits also benefit from expanded exposure, stronger business connections, and greater visibility across Newsday’s platforms.

Advice for Other Media Companies

For media companies considering a cause marketing approach, Fevola offered simple but powerful advice: "Start by researching local companies and the causes they serve that may only be touted in press releases and annual reports. See if there is a CSR or community affairs officer. Then, listen to your community, listen to your nonprofits, listen to your businesses. Find out what matters to them. And don’t overcomplicate it."

Call to Action

If your team is ready to explore building a mission-driven branded content program like Together Long Island, the Branded Content Project can help you get started. We offer tools, templates, training, and coaching to build cause marketing partnerships that drive both community impact and revenue. Let’s talk.

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Editor’s note: Artificial Intelligence was used to transcribe and create an initial summary of this article, which was then edited by BCP staff.

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The Branded Content Project is designed through a strategic partnership between the Local Media Association and the Local Media Consortium, with funding from the Knight Foundation, to help facilitate additional growth, engagement, and revenue success for more publishers of all shapes and sizes.