Where The Pivot Fund Fits in the Local News Ecosystem

By launching The Pivot Fund’s new website, we’re doing more than showcasing our work—we’re clarifying our place in the growing ecosystem of organizations supporting local news, and why that role matters to the future of journalism and democracy.

Too often, people who care deeply about local news philanthropy tell me they’re not quite sure what The Pivot Fund does. Until now, our work has spoken loudest through results—thriving outlets, growing audiences, deepening trust—rather than through a neat organizational label.

Our new site changes that. It makes clear that The Pivot Fund empowers independent, community-rooted news outlets serving under-resourced urban and rural areas. Through funding, technical assistance, and strategic guidance, we help these outlets grow, innovate, and deliver journalism that strengthens communities and builds a more inclusive democracy.

A Bridge Between Funders and Grassroots News Entrepreneurs

The Pivot Fund is the only intermediary organization designed to transform the local news landscape by identifying, funding, and supporting small, grassroots publishers trusted by historically marginalized communities—and to do so at scale.

We begin each state-based landscape analysis with a simple question: “Who do you trust for news and information?” The answers often point to newsrooms that look nothing like traditional media outlets. Some operate primarily on Facebook or TikTok; others are led by part-time journalists holding down second jobs. What they share is trust, the most valuable currency in local news.

These publishers know their audiences because they are their audiences. They tell stories in the language, rhythm, and priorities of their communities, meeting those communities where they are—often on social media rather than a homepage.

But because they don’t fit legacy molds, they’re invisible to major funders. That’s where we come in. The Pivot Fund provides fiscal sponsorship, multi-year funding, and culturally competent support that helps these outlets build capacity and scale. Our typical investment—about $150,000 per year for three years—allows grantees to hire staff, generate new revenue, and move from surviving to thriving.

The results speak for themselves: Monica Pirela’s Notivisión Georgia became the first Hispanic outlet in Central Georgia to win a regional Emmy. April Ross’s BeeTV attracted new advertisers with sports coverage that bridges LaGrange’s historic Black-White divide. Elizabeth Galarza’s Pasa la Voz Noticias launched a profitable event production business that sustains her growing newsroom across coastal Georgia and South Carolina.

Rather than propping up nonprofit versions of failed legacy models, we invest in what works: news entrepreneurs with deep community trust and creativity that money alone can’t buy. Many have leveraged that trust into innovative business models—from community events to co-branded products—proving that sustainability isn’t limited to wealthy ZIP codes.

The Partner for Funders Seeking Systemic Change

The Pivot Fund was built for funders who want to make systemic change in local news by supporting small, trusted outlets at scale.

Large foundations increasingly recognize that local, community-rooted journalism is essential to democracy—but they often lack the staff, reach, or cultural fluency to engage dozens or hundreds of small grantees. That’s the gap intermediaries like Pivot fill.

As an intermediary, The Pivot Fund extends philanthropy’s reach while maintaining accountability and impact. Our landscape analyses surface the full range of trusted outlets across a state or region, and our team tailors support to each outlet’s needs—from audience strategy to leadership development.

Partnering with Pivot allows funders to move money equitably and efficiently. More importantly, it aligns them with communities closest to the problems—and therefore closest to the solutions. Funders are increasingly recognizing intermediaries as “partners in proximity”: trusted bridges that reduce risk and amplify impact.

This isn’t charity—it’s strategy. When funders work through Pivot, they’re not just sustaining local news; they’re investing in civic infrastructure, community trust, and democratic renewal.

Mapping the Ecosystem

Over the past decade, the ecosystem of journalism support organizations has grown dramatically—a sign of progress, but also a source of confusion. For emerging outlets, especially those serving historically marginalized communities, it can be hard to know where to turn for the right kind of help at the right time.

If we think of this field as a continuum, The Pivot Fund sits between incubators and large-scale investors. Organizations like Listening Post Collective help seed new ventures. The Pivot Fund steps in once those outlets have earned audience trust and early revenue, helping them stabilize and scale—typically through multi-year investments that pair funding with hands-on guidance.

As they grow, some outlets remain for-profit; others join networks like the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) or attract investment from Press Forward or the American Journalism Project. We’re proud when our grantees “graduate” into those relationships. It means the ecosystem is working as it should: connected, complementary, and focused on sustainability, not duplication.

Why This Role Matters

The health of local news is directly tied to the health of our democracy. Communities with robust journalism are more informed, engaged, and connected. But for too long, communities of color, immigrant communities, and rural regions have been ignored or misrepresented by traditional media.

Now, thanks to technology, talent, and tenacity, these same communities are building their own outlets—telling their own stories, in their own voices. Supporting them isn’t an act of benevolence; it’s an act of democracy.

The Pivot Fund’s mission is to ensure these publishers have the resources, networks, and recognition they need to thrive. By investing in them, we’re investing in an inclusive journalism ecosystem that reflects the full American experience—and strengthens democracy from the ground up.

An Invitation

Our new website offers a window into how we do this work—through research and consulting, grantmaking and support, and thought leadership that pushes the entire field toward equity.

We invite funders, partners, and peers to explore it and see where we fit in the larger story of journalism’s renewal. Because a healthy democracy depends on informed communities—and those who’ve been left out of local news for too long are the ones best positioned to rebuild it.