The Texas Tribune stands out in the nonprofit digital media landscape, continuing to expand with help from multiple funding resources. This organization has raised almost $27 million between a mix of grants, crowdfunding, and other sources.

In recent Nieman Lab profile of the Texas Tribune, Justin Ellis painted a picture of a site that warrants study for its ability to become sustainable.

The Tribune has garnered considerable attention for its ability to consistently exceed its fundraising goals. In 2013, the the Knight Foundation awarded a $1.5 million grant to examine the Tribune's success.

Why has the Texas Tribune succeeded while so many independent and nonprofit news outlets are lagging on the sustainability front? According to Ellis, some of this success is due to the Tribune's aggressive work. Another factor is the unique financial climate of Texas -- an epicenter of corporate wealth.

In addition to providing the kind of passionately followed political coverage that might be expected from news site based in a state capitol, the Tribune has also published more experimental content. For instance, the 15-part series The Shale Life examined the Texas oil and gas drilling boom via nuanced multimedia, using very little text to tell a broad story.

What's next? According to Ellis, in order to sustain its growth, the Tribune must keep expanding its readership. As all local news providers understand, this can be challenging for coverage with a specific geographic focus.

Further experimentation may help the site reach beyond capitol-focused readers seeking political stories from the capitol to touch all 26 million Texans. But if the company reaches and appeals deeply to just four million Texans, that will satisfy their current goals.

From the start, the Tribune has strategically focused on data, as well as on collaborations with other news outlets. Stories have been offered for free to boost readership -- a move utilized in the nonprofit world, but a not-so-common strategy in a media market flooded with for-profit outlets.

Read Ellis's full Texas Tribune profile for a deeper look into this nonprofit news site's ascent over the past five years.