The countdown to #harambee2026 is on!
This panel will explore philanthropy’s role in protecting and rebuilding Black media spaces and share actionable insights for strengthening Black communities through philanthropy.
Register: www.abfe.org/harambee-conference
At The Pivot Fund’s recent webinar, youth journalists shared how they meaningfully engage with media. The takeaway? Authenticity and accessibility matter, as young people connect with media that reflects their communities and invites them to be part of the conversation.
👉🏾 shorturl.at/LYHCz
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What I love most: it doesn’t treat rural communities as passive recipients of news.
It recognizes community members as civic witnesses — and invests in their power.
When neighbors document public meetings, the public record gets harder to erase.
🔗 lnkd.in/ezsK_QZQ
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In under-resourced and rural communities, trust is rooted in relationships.
Folk Reporters addresses real barriers:
• Long travel distances
• Limited broadband
• Weak public notice systems
• Too few reporters
And yes — participants are paid.
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When someone walks into a meeting with a notebook or recorder, it changes the room.
Officials behave differently.
Decisions get harder to obscure.
And when a neighbor reports what happened, it signals:
If she can go, I can go.
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That’s why I care so deeply about @blackbygod.bsky.social's Folk Reporters program, founded by Crystal Good.
The model is simple: train and pay community members to cover legislative sessions and public meetings.
Not symbolism. Infrastructure.
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In too many rural communities, public decisions are being made with no one there to document them.
Committees meet. Boards vote. Policies get shaped.
No reporter in the room.
That’s not just unfortunate. It’s an accountability crisis.
What can rural publishers learn from Black by God’s Folk Reporters program? 👇🏾
For community publishers, it’s a practical blueprint for strengthening coverage and trust — even with limited resources.
Read more: shorturl.at/o9W2K
Takeaways from our webinar Print as Strategy: Ryan Sorrell of @kcdefender.bsky.social shared how print supports community care. For many communities, print = access, safety, and sustainability.
▶️ Watch the webinar Q&A: youtu.be/2rmTFnuOMOQ
Even in a digital-first era, hyperlocal and immigrant-serving newsrooms still use print to build community, reach underserved audiences, and generate revenue.
Join us Jan. 15 at 1pm ET to explore why print still matters in sustainable, hybrid local news models.
Register: shorturl.at/QZ1Am
Out now in Nieman Lab:
Tracie Powell, CEO of The Pivot Fund, predicts that journalism’s influencer obsession will age poorly.
Chasing algorithms won’t rebuild trust. Community-rooted journalism will.
Read the full piece: shorturl.at/rwqeb
We’re revisiting one of our most impactful stories — featured by Editor & Publisher — on how community-centered publishers are transforming deep cultural trust into sustainable revenue.
The core insight still stands: capacity is everything.
Learn More: shorturl.at/u9nt4
The Pivot Fund channels meaningful funding and culturally competent support to community-rooted news outlets that have already earned their audiences’ trust.
Learn more about our Grantmaking + Support work → shorturl.at/g68Fg
The Pivot Fund’s landscape analyses do more than map the news ecosystem — they uncover the trusted, community-rooted outlets already making a difference.
Learn more about our Research + Consulting work → shorturl.at/dz9bq
#localnews #journalism #philanthropy
Communities of color are building the future of local news. Read Tracie Powell’s essay, Why This Matters → shorturl.at/UltMz
“The growth we’ve experienced — the doors that have opened — would not have been possible without The Pivot Fund.”
-Monica Pirela, NotiVisión Georgia
Read how we help community-rooted publishers grow and thrive. thepivotfund.org/grantees-imp...
We’re helping make the local-news ecosystem work better for everyone. Our new website shows how we connect funders with trusted publishers, and the new Poynter op-ed shows why that coordination matters.
Learn more → thepivotfund.org
Read the op-ed → shorturl.at/W6lbk
#localnews #philanthropy
💬 Words can make—or break—your campaign. Join us on Nov 5, 2025 · 1 PM ET for Smart Fundraising, Careful Language: Winning Year-End Strategies for 2025
Register Today: shorturl.at/QZxb1
#Nonprofit #Journalism #Fundraising #DEI #YearEndGiving #Philanthropy
The Pivot Fund’s strengths start with its people.
Meet @traciepowell.bsky.social, Jean Marie Brown & Susan Richardson — leaders shaping a more equitable future for local news.
👉🏾 shorturl.at/nIfKp
In Poynter, our founder Tracie Powell calls for clarity, coordination, and courage in local-news philanthropy, as small, community-rooted outlets still need clearer pathways to funding and support.
👉🏾 Read: shorturl.at/W6lbk
#localnews #philanthropy #mediaequity
The Pivot Fund’s new website is live! See how we bridge the gap between funders and grassroots news outlets trusted by their communities.
Read Tracie Powell’s new article → shorturl.at/Jym4R
Proof Positive: Invest in trusted local news, and growth follows. In our first two years (FY2023–24), The Pivot Fund invested $2.1M in 8 outlets trusted by their communities and unlocked transformational change.
📖 Read the Impact Report → shorturl.at/cS5G0
We’ve refreshed our brand!
This new look is about rallying support for community-driven news serving historically marginalized communities. Also coming soon, our new website will spotlight the impact of our grantees and funders.
The future of local news is here—and it doesn’t look like its past.
ICE doesn't even have a detention center in Hawaii. The men have been put in a federal prison there. Very far from home, and presumably their lawyers. Via @missionlocal.org
Missouri’s oldest Black-owned bookstore was at risk of closing.
Now, grantee @KCDefender is stepping up—cataloging 20K+ books, covering rent, and launching a campaign to buy the building.
This is community-rooted journalism.
🔗 thepivotfund.org/f/the-local-...
"Ever since I shared my insights on the collapse of the Houston Landing, people have been asking me if there is a right way to fund news startups. My answer is yes, absolutely – and it starts with finding startups trusted by their communities." - Tracie Powell
📌 Read more: shorturl.at/xubW9
John Oliver breaks down how Trump is shaping media coverage—and going after outlets that challenge him.
The bigger issue? What it means for press freedom and the future of a free press in the U.S. 📺
Watch the segment: www.youtube.com/watch?v=07JQ...
CEO Tracie Powell is LIVE now discussing the attacks against public media and why more support is needed for independent community news and information.
lnkd.in/e4UHuAjK
Press freedom without community voices isn't freedom—it's erasure.
On #WorldPressFreedomDay, we celebrate and fight for community-led, grassroots newsrooms telling the truth in places others ignore.
This is why The Pivot Fund exists.
#PressFreedom #JournalismMatters
