The Case For Culturally Competent Leadership In News Media

Recently in Washington, D.C. to attend the 2023 Asian American Journalists Association Conference, I told a packed room how The Pivot Fund does funding differently than other journalism donors. Unlike other funders, we center communities in our giving strategy and provide culturally competent leadership.  What do we mean by culturally competent? Three principles are core to how we operate andContinue reading “The Case For Culturally Competent Leadership In News Media”

El Tecolote reimagines journalism to deepen community connections

More than a dozen domestic workers and day laborers took to the stage in March to educate fellow community members about their rights, particularly around sick leave. The performance was part of a reporting series produced by El Tecolote Newspaper, one of the oldest news organizations serving San Francisco’s heavily Latino Mission District. While nervous performers worriedContinue reading “El Tecolote reimagines journalism to deepen community connections”

One Way We’ve Learned To Scale Grassroots Community News

Elizabeth Galarza is the first to tell you that she doesn’t have professional journalism skills. So she acquired them. In March, Galarza’s Savannah-based Pasa La Voz merged with Nuestro Estado, a community news outlet located two hours up the road from her in Charleston, SC. The merger came with Fernando Soto, a professionally trained journalistContinue reading “One Way We’ve Learned To Scale Grassroots Community News”

4 Things You Need to Know Before Signing That Grant Agreement

Grant agreements are an important part of the grant-giving (and getting) process.  As part of her video series on nonprofit infrastructure design, A. Nicole Campbell, founder, and CEO of Build Up Advisory Group, shared four critical components to include in these agreements.  “For funders, the more efficient and robust your grant process and grant-making are, theContinue reading “4 Things You Need to Know Before Signing That Grant Agreement”

Wendi Thomas and Amethyst Davis on the patriarchy of philanthropy

The year Wendi C. Thomas founded MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, she cried “not infrequently.” She had multiple moments of doubt mounting in her head. She’d wake up in a panic in the middle of the night, her stomach in knots, remembering how much credit card debt she had to take on to keep herself afloat. Continue reading “Wendi Thomas and Amethyst Davis on the patriarchy of philanthropy”

Overcoming doubts and finding value-aligned funders

Join us on Tuesday, May 16 at 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m ET for an intimate conversation with Wendi C. Thomas, founder of MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, and Amethyst Davis, founder of The Harvey World Herald, as they discuss overcoming doubts and finding value-aligned funders to support community-centered journalism that makes a difference. This event is sponsored by The JohnContinue reading “Overcoming doubts and finding value-aligned funders”