Funding supports growing national and state-based effort to expand access to trusted local information

(June 24, 2026) – Press Forward today announced a $1.45 million investment to help states expand access to trusted local news, ensuring more communities have the information they need to make decisions about their lives.

The funding will support state-level coalitions, along with the national organizations that partner with them, to advance public policies that strengthen local news. These coalitions will work with policymakers, civic leaders, and advocates to develop solutions that protect journalistic integrity and the First Amendment.

“We often think of civic infrastructure as roads or schools, but reliable local news is just as essential. It’s what keeps communities informed, connected, and able to act. And like any infrastructure, it doesn’t sustain itself. It requires investment, from philanthropy, from people and communities, and from public policy, to ensure it’s there for everyone,” said Dale Anglin, executive director, Press Forward. 

“States are pioneering new models for how we sustain local news in the future,” said Teresa Gorman, Associate Director, Reimagine + Rebuild at Democracy Fund and co-chair of Press Forward’ Public Policy Working Group.“We’re seeing real progress. This investment is about accelerating that work and helping more communities benefit from it.”

The state-based advocates are part of a growing, nationwide coalition receiving technical assistance, sharing insights, and learning from one another as they build and scale policy solutions across states.

This round of funding supports Press Forward chapters and partners in:

•     Arizona (Community Foundation for Southern Arizona)
•     Colorado (Colorado Media Project)
•     Kansas (Kansas Press Association)
•     Kentucky (Press Forward Bluegrass)
•     New Jersey (New Jersey Civic Information Consortium)
•     New Mexico (New Mexico Local News Fund)
•     Pennsylvania (Lenfest Institute for Journalism), and
•     South Carolina (South Carolina Grantmakers Network)

At the national level, funding recipients include 

• Common Cause, 
• The Institute for Nonprofit News
• The Latino Media Collaborative, and 
• The Maynard Institute, which received funding to support the Coalition for Equitable Journalism Policy.

In addition,  Free Press will and Rebuild Local News receive their second round of funding from Press Forward, announced last year.

The Coalition for Equitable Journalism Policy is co-chaired by the Maynard Institute and the Racial Equity in Journalism Fund. Its members include the Asian American Journalists Association, the Indigenous Journalists Association, the Latino Media Collaborative, Media 2070, the National Association of Black Journalists, and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Building on growing state momentum

Press Forward’s investment comes at a pivotal moment. While federal action on local news has stalled, and in the case of public media been cancelled, states are advancing new policy approaches to support access to trusted information.

 An initial $3.5 million investment from Press Forward in 2025 helped lay the groundwork for this progress, including in New Mexico, which secured significant policy wins and local news funding this spring, and Colorado, which will now ask state agencies to prioritize advertising with local news outlets. New Jersey continues to demonstrate the potential of public investment through the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium—the first state-funded local news initiative in the nation—which has become a model for policymakers and advocates seeking sustainable ways to support local journalism while protecting its independence.  Other states—including Illinois, and California—are demonstrating a range of approaches, from public funding mechanisms to tax credits, that support local news while protecting its independence.

Local news as essential infrastructure

Press Forward’s public policy work is grounded in the belief that local news is essential community infrastructure.

Local news helps people understand what’s happening in their communities, from public safety and schools to elections and local decision-making. But the economic model that once sustained local news has eroded, leaving many communities without consistent access to reliable information.

Philanthropy plays a critical role in supporting local news, but it cannot meet the full scale of the challenge alone.

“Today’s communities deserve reliable, local news that stands watch, asks tough questions and helps people make decisions that are important to their everyday lives,” added Melissa Milios Davis, Director of Grantmaking for Press Forward. “Public support is not a one-size-fits all, but it can help ensure that every community, not just those with ample resources, has access to trustworthy information about local issues.”

The federal government has long played a role in supporting the flow of news and information, as have many democratic nations around the world. Today, state-level policy is emerging as a key path forward—creating durable, scalable solutions that expand access to independent, fact-based local news.

About Press Forward

Press Forward is a network with chapters nationwide, working to strengthen local news so communities stay informed, connected and engaged. With more than 40 place-based chapters and over $400 million invested, we support sustainable models, close coverage gaps, and cultivate the local news champions that help