Midwest Free Community Papers

19/02/2026

The Power of U – Find it here!

Join us April 16-17 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, as we celebrate by connecting and strengthening our industry! The MFCP Spring Conference is packed with opportunities to learn, grow, and connect with peers.

🔹 Engaging Training Tracks – Sales, Editorial, Publisher and Graphics sessions designed to boost your skills.
🔹 Invaluable Networking – Share insights, challenges, and ideas with fellow professionals.

There is something for everyone at this conference. Just click below to register NOW!

We're looking forward to seeing you there!

Register here: https://mfcp.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e0593a4630c3206981c8ab2c6&id=d603edfc84&e=13d5b391df

25/11/2025

Are you ready to jumpstart your 2026 planning?

Our December Member Meetup! is all about Special Section Lineups—and it’s shaping up to be one of the most idea-packed sessions of the year.

Think of it as a virtual version of our Idea Exchange: fast-moving, practical, and full of profitable concepts you can take home and use right away.

Here’s what you’ll gain by attending:

A master reference sheet of 2026 Special Sections collected from your fellow MFCP publishers.
Fresh revenue-driving ideas for both classic and creative new sections.
Inspiration from the most successful in-page promotions across our membership.
A chance to ask questions, share your own concepts, and learn what’s working for others.
Access to uploaded section ideas and sell sheets in our Shared Google Drive after the call
Whether you contribute ideas or simply want to gather inspiration, you’ll walk away with new concepts, proven moneymakers, and a lineup your team can get excited about.

We will meet via Zoom- December 11th, 9AM.

Let’s wrap up the year with a strong, collaborative session—one that sets you up with the tools, ideas, and confidence to build an amazing 2026.

We can’t wait to see you there!

14/10/2025

Want to take your digital ad sales to the next level? Join our Digital Ad Sales Users Group via Zoom on Thursday, October 16th at 1:30 PM.

This session is packed with practical tips and strategies for anyone involved in digital ad sales:

Explain the digital dashboard to clients and share industry metrics they can measure against

Leverage retargeting pixels to boost program results

Navigate Google and Facebook authorizations before launching campaigns

Handouts and plenty of discussion will ensure you leave with actionable takeaways—perfect whether you’re new to digital advertising or a seasoned pro.

Don’t miss out! If you can’t attend, send a team member in your place—these insights are designed to help your whole team grow and succeed.

10/09/2025

It’s time to roll up your sleeves and get serious about real estate! Join us Wednesday, September 17th at 10AM for a hands-on Zoom session packed with insights you can put to work immediately.

Our speaker, David Tomasini, is a retired publisher who knows two things inside and out: advertising sales and real estate. These days, he’s one of the top Realtors in the Myrtle Beach market—but lucky for us, his heart still belongs to print. David is straight-talking, entertaining, and ready to share strategies that drive results.

Here’s why you won’t want to miss this:

Make sense of today’s real estate market and uncover opportunities to grow your lineage.

Learn how to build stronger relationships with local Realtors.

Get your own county-specific real estate report—with sales trends, days on market, listing vs. selling prices, and more. Use this data to better understand your market and sell more real estate lineage.

This isn’t just a sit-back-and-listen session. We’re getting hands-on. With just a little effort, the insights you gain here could turn into real revenue month after month.

So, mark your calendar, roll up your sleeves and let's drive some real estate lineage! We'll see you on Zoom...

27/08/2025

How to Get Your Audit Done — Step-by-Step Guidance. Join us this week for a very worthwhile session. We're covering two subjects: How to get caught up on your Audit and How to Unlock Agency Advertising Opportunities.

Session 3 – August 28 - 10AM. Call length (less than 60 minutes).
How to Use Your Audit to Sell More Advertising
Publishers who use their audit every day in sales know its power — and they’re ready to share how they make this valuable member benefit work for them.
Led by Jolene Goodman and the Big Green Umbrella team (with special guests), this session is packed with practical ideas and winning strategies.
We’ll cover:

How to weave audit stats into every sales pitch

What data points advertisers care about

Real proposals that close deals

Confidence-building tools for your sales team

This session is your playbook for turning verified data into stronger sales and increased revenue.

Remember: Every MFCP member publication is eligible to receive a complimentary CVC audit — a true member benefit designed to support your success. Make sure you’re getting every ounce of value from your membership. Register below and we’ll see you there!

Register here: https://mfcp.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e0593a4630c3206981c8ab2c6&id=66c06255fc&e=13d5b391df

04/08/2025

Big shoutout to MFCP members Joey & Lindsey Young of Kansas Publishing Ventures! They were recently featured on PBS’s Market to Market – Kansas for their incredible work keeping local journalism alive and thriving. Watch the full segment:

To make sure rural community members and business owners keep a bit of their focus on their local newspapers, a Kansas newspaper publishing company has done everything from themed treasure hunts in downtown businesses, to annual concerts to a Friday community happy hour in the newsroom.

28/05/2025

Ready to connect, collaborate, and compete? Mark your calendar for July 24-25 and join us at The Charmant Hotel in La Crosse, WI for our annual Leadership Summit!

We’re kicking things off with MFCP Jeopardy — a lively, team-building game where you can test your industry smarts and have a little fun. Then relax with fellow members at Moon Tunes in Riverside Park on Thursday evening.

Friday morning, we’ll gather for our Membership Meeting and Leadership Discussion — a chance to share ideas, tackle challenges, and help shape the future of our industry.

Bonus: Each member publication receives one FREE room night at The Charmant Hotel, courtesy of the Midwest Classified Network.

Space is limited — sign up today to reserve your spot!

Register here: https://mfcp.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=e0593a4630c3206981c8ab2c6&id=29d2455ecc&e=13d5b391df

07/05/2025

Sorry....but we need to reschedule our Real Estate roundtable. It will now be held next week - Wednesday, May 14th, 11AM.

See you then!!

Are you ready to talk real estate? Join us for an open, insider conversation on the current trends, challenges and creative ideas driving real estate advertising today.

WHAT WE'LL COVER.....
Trends in real estate advertising from publishers in the field.
Tips for boosting engagement with real estate eblasts
What buyers, sellers and advertisers are asking for right now.
Open discussion and idea-sharing
YOU'LL HEAR FROM:
Real Estate publication experts.
A publisher/realtor with fresh market insight
And, your fellow members who are eager to swap ideas.

Whether you have a real estate section or you are considering adding one - this call is for you!

The call will be Wednesday, May 14th at 11AM. We will meet via Zoom.

Looking forward to seeing you on the call and learning together.

30/04/2025

Did you miss our Spring conference?

Check out photos on our website here:
https://www.mfcp.org/news-events

29/04/2025

Congratulations to the MFCP Unsung Hero of the Year award recipient, Knoblach. Karen was awarded this honor during this year's spring conference.
View photos from this year's conference at

News | Paper Clips Paper Clips newsletter is sent out monthly to anyone employed by a MFCP member publication or associate member. If you would like to receive it, email us. Shared Knowledge Whether in a classroom setting at a conference or via a Zoom call each month, we take learning and growing se...

28/04/2025

Congratulations to the MFCP Graphic Artist of the Year award recipient, Jayde Vogeler. Jayde was awarded this honor during this year's spring conference.
View more photos from this year's conference at https://www.mfcp.org/news-events