The Project C Community

Apply to join Project C

A private community for journalist creators and solo journalists who are building their own micro media venture. Real peer support, real conversations about what's working and what isn't, and a room full of people who actually get it.

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200+
Active members
3 days
Review turnaround
$39/mo
Starting price
Who belongs in this room

The specific kind of person Project C is built for

Project C isn't a general-purpose journalism community or an industry Slack to lurk in. It's a working peer group for journalists who are actively building their own thing — and that shapes who it serves well and who it doesn't. We review every application because the room is only as good as the people in it.

Project C is for you if…

  • You're running a newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel, or other independent media venture — or you've started building one in earnest.
  • You're in the thick of going solo or thinking seriously about it, and you want peers who are a few steps ahead or a few steps behind.
  • You want honest, off-the-record conversations about revenue, burnout, growth, and the unglamorous reality of building alone.
  • You'll show up, introduce yourself, and participate — not just lurk.

Project C probably isn't for you if…

  • You work inside a traditional newsroom and are curious what creator journalists are up to.
  • You're a publisher or platform scouting talent to cover or poach.
  • You're a media reporter looking for story leads from inside a private community.
  • You want a passive subscription rather than an actual community to participate in.

“It helps me see that I'm far from alone. And that we're all struggling and succeeding in this weirdly complicated creator economy, even in all stages of growth and monetization.”

CH
Chris HuttonTTRPG Insider
What comes with membership

More than a Slack channel

💬

Private Slack community

200+ creator journalists sharing strategy, wins, setbacks, and the real work of building independent media. Everything is off the record by default.

🎞

Members-only events

Subscriber drives, co-working sprints, and sessions with creator journalists, media entrepreneurs, and folks from across the industry.

📚

Resource library

A growing collection of case studies, templates, media kits, and tactical guides drawn from journalists who are actually in the work.

🎯

Going Solo discount

A meaningful price break on our workshop series for journalists going independent — run in cohorts a few times each year.

“The Project C Slack has been a huge win for me. It's now the top Slack channel in my right rail.”

BV
Bryan VanceStumptown Savings
Liz Kelly Nelson and Blair Hickman on a sagebrush trail in Idaho
The humans running this thing

Who's actually on the other side of the application

Project C was founded by Liz Kelly Nelson — a longtime journalist, editor, and strategist who spent years watching talented reporters leave legacy newsrooms and wonder what the hell to do next. She started Project C to be the thing she wished existed when friends started going independent: a place to trade real numbers, real strategy, and real encouragement without the performative edge of public social media.

Project C is co-moderated by Blair Hickman, a longtime journalism strategist and coach who's been in the independent media trenches since before there was a word for it. Blair runs point on day-to-day community health and leads the Project C coaching offerings for members who want more hands-on help figuring out their next move.

Between the two of them, Liz and Blair read every application personally. Only one yes is required to get you in — and both of them are pulling for people who are serious about building something of their own.

Liz Kelly Nelson Founder, Project C
Blair Hickman Lead Coach and Community Moderator
How applying works

From application to "you're in"

We built this process to be honest and low-friction. No surprise charges, no waiting in limbo, no form-letter rejections. Here's exactly what happens after you hit submit.

01

You apply

Fill out the form below, tell us about your work, and pick your membership tier. Takes about five minutes.

02

Card on file, not charged

We vault your payment method through Stripe but don't run it. Think of it like the hold a hotel puts on your card at check-in.

03

We review your application

Every application gets a real read from a human moderator. We aim to respond within three business days — yes, no, or a quick clarifying question.

04

Approved? You're in.

If yes, you're auto-invited to Slack and your card is charged. If no, you hear back gently and your card is never touched.

Coming in through a partner cohort? If you're joining via the Muslim Accelerator, ONA26, or another Project C partner program, enter your cohort code in the form below. You'll skip the card step entirely, and your membership runs through your cohort window.

“Finally hit 100 paid subs! Didn't think I'd be here till sometime next year. Honestly this group and trying things Project C has put out, like the indie media drive, was huge.”

CA
Colin AlsheimerKineticist
Apply to Join

Pick your tier and tell us about yourself

Every application gets a real read from a human moderator. We aim to respond within three business days — sometimes sooner.

From inside the room

“I'm a member of Project C, a community of independent newsletter writers, and I've learned so much from this crowd. Much of what I've figured out is thanks to them.”

JB
Julia BartonProject C member
Choose your membership tier
Project C is a private community for journalist creators and solo journalists who are building their own micro media venture. Every member agrees to a set of community guidelines before joining — the most important of which is our FrieNDA principle: everything shared inside Project C Slack is private by default and off the record unless the poster explicitly says otherwise. Please take a minute to read the full guidelines before you submit.
Your newsletter, podcast, YouTube channel, portfolio, or whatever best represents what you're building. One link is fine.
This is how we get to know you. There's no right answer — just be specific and honest.

If you're coming in through a Project C partner program — Muslim Accelerator, ONA26, or similar — enter the cohort code your program gave you below. Cohort members skip the card-on-file step and their membership runs through the cohort window.

Your card is stored securely by Stripe. You won't be charged until your application is approved — and if we decline, you won't be charged at all.
We review every application by hand. You'll hear back within 3 business days.
✓ Application received

Thanks — we've got it. You'll hear back from us within 3 business days. Check your inbox for a confirmation email in the next few minutes.