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Press Forward News | January 2024

Jocelyn,

Local news is having a well-deserved moment. From The New York Times proclaiming the “Rebirth of Local Journalism” and profiling the impact of 73 outlets, to the thousands of NewsMatch donors in 2023, a wider swath of Americans is realizing that the fate of journalism and our communities is intertwined. 

There is still much more to do. At Press Forward, we’ve set an ambitious agenda for 2024, and we are excited to build a strong team, including a Director to advance this important work. We expect news on that front soon, and wanted to share an update on what more to expect in coming months:

• Applications will open soon. This spring, we will issue an open call for funding for the Pooled Fund, related to one or more of our strategic priorities. Thank you for your patience.

• We’re launching a new funding platform. You’ve asked for an equitable and transparent funding process, and we are working to have one. JustFund will make it simple to apply to the range of funding opportunities and make it easier for funders to learn about local news organizations seeking funding. 

• Resources for Press Forward Locals will soon be available. Emerging local news collaboratives across the country have asked for toolkits, coaching, learning opportunities, and other avenues of support and we will have them ready soon. 



• Our funding pool will continue to grow. The work that started in 2023 to bring new funders to journalism and media will continue in 2024. We will keep reaching out to national, community and placed-based foundations, until we have ensured communities are informed and engaged. 

You can learn more about how we fund at pressforward.news. 

As the Press Forward staff is put in place we will continue to grow our reach. If you think a specific gathering or conference should be on our radar, please let us know by emailing hello@pressforward.news.

Thanks, and we look forward to sharing more soon.

- The Press Forward Management Committee,

Jim Brady, Knight Foundation

Neha Singh Gohil, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Kathy Im, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Jenny Montoya Tansey, Skyline Foundation

Josh Stearns, Democracy Fund

INSIDE: Assessing Local Needs | First Grants Support Newsrooms | In the News

Press Forward Locals: Assessing Needs

Pictured above: Community members and media gather for the ribbon cutting of a community solar garden on the roof of Shiloh Temple in North Minneapolis.

The Press Forward Locals are working diligently to develop strategies for investing in local news in their areas. While each community is different, some with nascent news ecosystems are starting by conducting landscape studies.

The Joyce and McKnight foundations, for example, announced they are working with the Pivot Fund to map the Midwest’s news landscape, beginning in Minnesota. 

“We see this as an important effort that will help us understand and connect news and information to audiences in more powerful ways,” said McKnight Foundation’s Tim Murphy. 

Learn more about their partnership on the Pivot Fund’s site. 

Meanwhile, Courtney Bengtson of the Wichita Foundation and Press Forward Wichita recently talked about the organizations’ investments in news and information, and the challenges of recruiting donors and of working with news organizations. Learn more in Knight Foundation’s newsletter.



Aligned Grantmaking:

First Grants Support Newsrooms 

Press Forward coalition partners are beginning to announce their first aligned grants - where funders invest directly in newsrooms according to the coalition’s funding priorities. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, for example, is providing direct support of local newsrooms as well as support for funding intermediaries and public policy advocacy.

You can read more in the announcement. Other Press Forward partners will begin to share their aligned investments soon.



Join Press Forward on LinkedIn

Press Forward is now on LinkedIn! Be sure to follow us for the latest updates about funding opportunities, Press Forward’s investments and more.

Here’s the link - please feel free to share with colleagues.

In the News

“Funder Collaborative of the Year: Press Forward” (Inside Philanthropy’s 2023 Philanthropy Awards)

“Investing in Informed and Engaged Communities” (William and Flora Hewlett Foundation)

“The Rebirth of Local Journalism” (New York Times)

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