How to help save local news
Join the Coalition
The Coalition brings together professional associations, publications and individual scholars and activists interested in promoting public policies to help save local news.
We have different tiers of membership, and the contribution sizes depend on which tier you select and how big your group is.
If you’re interested in joining this movement, please contact us at info@rebuildlocalnews.org.
Support Your Local Newsroom
If there is a high-quality local news organization, buy a subscription! And give subscriptions as gifts.
Second, consider making a donation to a nonprofit news organization. There are hundreds of local nonprofit websites. Search for them by state through the Institute for Nonprofit News.
There are national organizations working on this problem. Some of the best:
Report for America – A national service program that places talented journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered topics and issues. The program pays half the salary and then works with the news organization to build up community support to make the jobs sustainable. The program has placed 547 reporters in more than 300 local newsrooms.
Solutions Journalism Network – They provide grants and training to newsrooms across America to encourage journalism about how to solve pressing local problems.
Borealis Racial Equity Fund – They provide grants to Black and Hispanic run local news organizations, both for journalism and to strengthen their business operations.
Institute for Nonprofit News – A network that supports over 400 nonprofit news organizations by providing education and business-based services to ensure communities have access to trusted news.
Documenters Network – An initiative by City Bureau, a nonprofit civic journalism lab, that equips people with access to information on public meetings and official government records.
Chalkbeat – A nonprofit news organization that covers the education beat and spotlights efforts to improve schools and provide quality education to all children.
American Journalism Project – A philanthropic initiative dedicated to supporting nonprofit local news by cultivating a sustainable model for civic-minded journalism.
Lenfest Institute – An organization that supports local journalism through grant funding, training programs, and developing sustainable revenue models for local news outlets.
ProPublica Local Reporting Network – A program that gives local reporters the opportunity to collaborate with ProPublic and produce investigative stories that impact their communities.
Local Independent Online News – An association of independent news publishers that provides training and resources to independent news entrepreneurs as they build sustainable businesses.
Hearken – A company that helps newsrooms forge stronger relationships and deeper engagement with their audience and communities via technology, training, and consulting.
Listening Post Collective – An initiative that provides its partners with resources to identify community information needs, bolster community engagement, and launch civic media projects.
Media Power Collaborative – An organizing space for media workers, academics, and organizers who advocate for public policies that create and sustain more informed, equitable communities.
National Trust for Local News – A nonprofit committed to helping communities preserve and transform their local news organizations into thriving, civic-minded institutions.
Tiny News Collective – A project that provides tools, resources, and guidance to help communities build sustainable local news organizations.
URL Media – A network of Black and Brown media organizations that share content and other resources to amplify reach, increase revenue, and cultivate long-term sustainability.
Word in Black – A collaboration of Black news publishers that aims to confront racial inequities across the nation by sharing trusted news and information for, about, and by Black people.
The Marshall Project – A nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that aims to impact the U.S. criminal justice system, making it more fair, effective, and humane through journalism.
Allied Media Conference – A conference that brings together organizers, writers, researchers, and more to create collaborative, media-based strategies to effect change.
Contact Your Representative
Let your lawmakers know that the collapse of local news is an important issue for your community. Check in to the Rebuild Local News Coalition to see what might be happening in your state.