JACKSON—Three state-based newspaper foundations have joined forces to expand resources and capacity for local journalism through the formation of the Great River Local News Coalition.
The coalition is comprised of the Mississippi Press Foundation, Arkansas Newspaper Foundation and Iowa Newspaper Foundation, which will work together to identify funding opportunities and develop initiatives designed to strengthen local news in their respective states.
The coalition will work with Susan Wilder, director of development for The Commercial Dispatch in Columbus, Miss., as a grant writer. Wilder will seek funding opportunities from philanthropic, public and private sources to support the foundations' existing programs and future initiatives.
“The coalition was formed in an effort to ramp up fundraising activities for Mississippi Press and our partner foundations,” said George R. Turner, chairman of the Mississippi Press Foundation and publisher of The Greene County Herald in Leakesville and The Richton Dispatch. “We are excited by the prospects of this partnership and working with Susan.”
The Mississippi Press Foundation was established in 1983 primarily to enhance educational opportunities for prospective journalists through scholarships and internships. The Foundation's board recently amended its bylaws to broaden the scope of its program of work, allowing it to pursue additional initiatives designed to support local journalism.
MPF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible under the IRS code.
The coalition's initial fundraising efforts will focus on supporting each state's existing internship and scholarship programs, which provide financial assistance and professional opportunities to students pursuing careers in journalism.
Over time, the Great River Local News Coalition plans to pursue larger projects aimed at strengthening the capacity of local news organizations, including efforts to enhance resources for reporting local news and address news deserts — communities where residents have limited or no access to reliable local news.
“Nonprofit digital news startups have seen remarkable success attracting philanthropic and donor support over the past decade,” said Layne Bruce, executive director of the Mississippi Press Foundation. “But many of those organizations are concentrated in higher-population areas. There is a dire need to strengthen local news at the community level, particularly in rural America. As the business models of traditional media — both print and broadcast — continue to come under immense stress, we hope the Coalition can help lead the way toward a sustainable future for these legacy news franchises.”
