Hyperlocal newsrooms are used to stretching every dollar, every hour, and every reporter. Yet, through strategic partnerships—especially with public media—hyperlocal outlets are expanding reach, resources, and impact. These partnerships are becoming even more crucial as public media itself faces major funding challenges. The recent elimination of $1.1 billion in federal funding for the Corporation for PublicContinue reading “Partnering with Public Media: Tips for Hyperlocal Newsrooms”
Author Archives: Tracie Powell
Belonging: The True Measure of Hyperlocal Value
For years, newsrooms were told that success was about reach. Pageviews, clicks, and impressions filled dashboards and board reports. The logic was simple: more visitors meant more ad dollars. But that world has changed. Advertising no longer sustains most local outlets, and today’s audiences find news in fragments—through feeds, alerts, and algorithms. In this environment,Continue reading “Belonging: The True Measure of Hyperlocal Value”
Leading Across Lines: An Asian American Guiding Indigenous News
At Underscore Native News, the community is “ultimately the boss—the guiding force.” What does it mean to lead a newsroom deeply rooted in a community that’s not your own? For Myers Reece, executive director of Underscore Native News, it starts with something simple but powerful: respect—for the people, the culture, and the lived experiences that shapeContinue reading “Leading Across Lines: An Asian American Guiding Indigenous News”
Why We’ve Refreshed Our Brand
The Pivot Fund is proud to unveil a refreshed brand—a new visual identity that reflects the bold, community-centered journalism we support and the ambitious vision we’re working toward: directing $500 million to grassroots news outlets serving historically marginalized communities. This brand update is about more than aesthetics. It’s about clarity of purpose, and aligning how weContinue reading “Why We’ve Refreshed Our Brand”
How Pivot Fund grantees are building sustainability
Turning cultural trust into revenue takes building the right internal capacity.
Lessons from The Baltimore Beat’s Community-Driven Revenue Model
Baltimore Beat, a Black-led, nonprofit newsroom, is building a powerful case for what sustainable, community-rooted journalism can look like—with the right kind of investment and trust from funders. Rather than chasing scale or click-throughs, The Beat is focused on experimentation, innovation, and hyperlocal impact. This ethos—one that many funders champion but few media outlets canContinue reading “Lessons from The Baltimore Beat’s Community-Driven Revenue Model”
How Pivot Fund Grantees Are Building Sustainability
Turning cultural trust into revenue takes building the right internal capacity. Across the country, community-centered newsrooms are navigating a tough balancing act: staying rooted in the people they serve while trying to build revenue models that last. At The Pivot Fund, we’ve been checking in with our grantees—newsrooms led by and for communities long overlookedContinue reading “How Pivot Fund Grantees Are Building Sustainability”
The Kansas City Defender Redefines Journalism, Cultural Legacy
A movement newsroom building lasting infrastructure, deep trust, and measurable impact—on and offline For funders committed to equity, sustainability, and civic engagement, The Kansas City Defender offers a compelling case study in what’s possible when journalism is rooted in service and supported for the long haul. This month, the Black-led newsroom is launching a $500,000 capital campaign—notContinue reading “The Kansas City Defender Redefines Journalism, Cultural Legacy”
New Radio Campesina Hire Aims to Build Trust on Latino Airwaves
Supported by The Pivot Fund, this strategic hire strengthens Spanish-language journalism in Arizona—bringing credible local news to a medium long plagued by misinformation. With dedicated support from The Pivot Fund, Radio Campesina has hired veteran journalist Ernesto Rodríguez—a milestone that marks a bold step forward in the station’s mission to deliver trusted, community-rooted journalism across Arizona.Continue reading “New Radio Campesina Hire Aims to Build Trust on Latino Airwaves”
What Baltimore Beat’s Revenue Experiments Reveal About Local News
Baltimore Beat’s latest revenue experiments haven’t delivered a financial windfall—but they’ve produced something just as valuable: insight. In a media landscape where local newsrooms are pushed to pivot fast and often, the Beat offers a counter-model rooted in learning, community connection, and thoughtful experimentation. Earlier this year, the Beat ran a campaign giving families theContinue reading “What Baltimore Beat’s Revenue Experiments Reveal About Local News”