Category Archives: News

We’re always excited to bring fresh talent and valuable experience into The Pivot Fund. Eric Ortiz, a longtime journalist and founder of the Youth Community Journalism Institute at the Strong Mind Strong Body Foundation, has joined as Associate Director of Research, Learning and Evaluation. The Stanford University alum, who is based in Minneapolis, hit theContinue reading “Meet Eric Ortiz, Pivot’s New Associate Director of Research, Learning and Evaluation”

At a luncheon last month in Atlanta, The Pivot Fund team showcased its innovative approach to supporting community-centered news outlets and the tangible impact of investing in nontraditional newsrooms. The event drew a diverse audience of philanthropists and publishers. Jean Marie Brown, Director of Research, Learning, and Evaluation, provided an insightful presentation on journalism’s evolutionContinue reading “How a Landscape Analysis Builds Journalism from the Ground Up”

Press Forward this week announced applications to its pooled fund would open April 30 and hired nonprofit news vet Christina Shih as associate director. That made it a great time to hear from Director Dale Anglin about the direction of the six-month-old, $500-million fund to reinvigorate local news. In response to The Pivot Fund’s questions, Anglin spoke about investingContinue reading “Delve into Press Forward with Director Dale Anglin”

Report finds that philanthropic support for Black nonprofits isn’t keeping up with their impact With their experience, resilience, and resourcefulness, Black nonprofit leaders often create high-impact, high-performing organizations that philanthropists want to fund. So why do white-led nonprofit organizations receive 76 percent more revenue than Black-led nonprofit organizations on average and have 24 percent moreContinue reading “The gap is real”

The Pivot Fund invited AfroLA founder Dana Amihere, Haitian Times publisher Gary Pierre-Pierre, and Ryan Sorrell, founder of The Kansas City Defender, to discuss how they successfully serve Black audiences. One portion of the conversation regards the integral role of immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean, along with their descendants, in the Black American narrative.Continue reading “The Future of News & Information for Black Audiences”

Last week’s Knight Media Forum was a coming-out party of sorts for the Press Forward local news initiative, which was launched six months ago. Attendees met the initiative’s inaugural director, Dale Anglin from the Cleveland Foundation, and four new local chapters were announced, bringing the total to 17. The events underscored that Press Forward’s future will be built on local funding.Continue reading “How Press Forward Locals Can Avoid Journalism’s Past Mistakes”

February marks the second anniversary of The Pivot Fund, and what a journey it has been! In two years, we’ve committed $2 million to news outlets reaching Black, Hispanic, and Asian American audiences in Georgia, invested in Baltimore and expanded into the Midwest.  To support this growth, we have also expanded our staff from a two-person operation to a teamContinue reading “Meet Justin Rushing, Pivot’s New Chief Revenue Officer”

A special Black History Month conversation We’re highlighting this fantastic #BlackHistoryMonth conversation with Zuri Berry, one of the brilliant minds behind the Black Journalists on Journalism podcast and a dedicated journalist at The Baltimore Banner. Zuri approached our CEO, Tracie Powell, to delve into The Pivot Fund’s impactful $150,000 investment in the Baltimore Beat—an essential Black news outletContinue reading “Black Journalists on Journalism”

February marks the second anniversary of The Pivot Fund, and what a journey it has been! In these past two years, we’ve committed $2 million to news outlets reaching Black, Hispanic, and Asian American audiences in Georgia. Another $300,000 went to supporting the Black-led Baltimore Beat and Atlanta’s 285 South, which serves immigrant and refugeeContinue reading “Celebrating Two Years of Impact”

Empowering change, The Pivot Fund recently made a significant investment of $150,000 in Baltimore Beat, an impactful Black-led nonprofit that stands as an alternative to The Baltimore Sun. This move comes on the heels of The Baltimore Sun’s recent acquisition by the conservative chairman of Sinclair Broadcasting Group. This strategic investment underscores The Pivot Fund’s commitmentContinue reading “The Bold Move Behind Our Investment In Baltimore Beat”