Local Fundraising Support

At Report for America, we know strong journalism needs strong financial support. That’s why we help newsrooms grow the revenue they need to keep reporting local stories that matter. Our team is powering a movement to build resilient, community-backed newsrooms for the future.

Our Results, By The Numbers

Since 2017, Report for America has supported over 450 newsrooms, helping them collectively raise more than $60m in local donations.

In 2024, Report for America partner newsrooms raised $12 million from institutions, individuals, major donors and corporations to cover their portion of their corps members’ salaries and benefits.

How We Help

Our team is committed to helping Report for America newsroom partners raise revenue and build capacity for growth with the ultimate goal of creating more local news.

We offer tools for revenue generation and fundraising tailored to each newsroom’s goals. But what sets our model apart is that we don’t just teach the best practices— we roll up our sleeves and do the work with newsrooms. From personalized coaching and training to professional development and fiscal sponsorship services, we provide hands-on, practical tools that make fundraising more strategic— and more successful.

We also serve as the fiscal sponsor for more than 80 of our for-profit newsroom partners, helping them unlock philanthropic giving as a revenue stream for their outlet.

Accelerator Newsroom Program

The Accelerator Program is designed to give intensive fundraising help to newsrooms not yet financially capable to support a corps member, so that they become ready. We accept applications for our Accelerator Program on a rolling basis. Click here to learn more and apply.

Newsroom Success Stories

Host Newsrooms

Arkansas Times: Based in Little Rock, the Arkansas Times hired a director of development to boost fundraising, targeting $300K–$500K annually. In 2024, they raised $400K through community support, fundraising emails, and events. Their growing development arm reflects a sustainable approach to local journalism funding.
Richland Source: Richland Source, a for-profit newsroom in Ohio, secured multi-year funding through community foundations using Report for America as its fiscal sponsor. It also built a strong corporate giving program, engaging local businesses beyond traditional advertising. Their model showcases the potential of philanthropic support in for-profit journalism.
Santa Fe New Mexican: As the oldest newspaper in the West, the Santa Fe New Mexican launched its first individual giving campaign in 2024 with help from Report for America. They raised over $25,000 from donors and received a $15,000 education reporting grant. Report for America served as their fiscal sponsor throughout.
The Current: The Current, a nonprofit newsroom in coastal Georgia, joined Report for America in 2022, hiring its first full-time regional reporter. Continued community and partner support enabled them to add another full-time reporter. They’re now pursuing a strategic plan to double revenue in 2025.
The Public’s Radio: In spring 2025, The Public’s Radio in Rhode Island sought urgent help with an email campaign for a pledge drive. Report for America created 18 emails that helped raise over $115,000 in a week. The collaboration provided a major boost to their development team’s efforts.

Accelerator Newsrooms

Black Wall Street Times: The Black Wall Street Times, located in Tulsa’s historic Greenwood District, became an inaugural Report for America Accelerator newsroom in 2025. Through fiscal sponsorship, they secured a $17,000 grant to expand their journalism. Their work centers on lifting up Black voices and challenging mainstream narratives.
The Keene Sentinel: The Keene Sentinel, a historic daily paper in New Hampshire, joined Report for America as an Accelerator newsroom in 2024. They quickly surpassed their $75K fundraising goal after launching a journalism fund and hosting a community event. Their early success demonstrates the power of local engagement.
San Diego Voice and Viewpoint: This legacy, Black-owned newspaper, also an Accelerator newsroom, worked with Report for America to prepare for a fundraising gala, integrate fundraising tools into their website, and develop a special advertising strategy. Their small but passionate team is building new revenue streams with strategic guidance.

What Our Partners Have to Say

We’re a small Native newsroom with big goals — and Report for America’s sustainability team is helping us build the infrastructure to reach them. It’s helped us shift from reacting to revenue challenges to building a proactive plan. Having someone who understands our mission and can walk us through the business side has made a huge difference. Before, we didn’t know where to start. Now we have a path forward — and a partner helping us walk it.

As a young newsroom in our second year, we have ambitious goals and very little time for trial and error. The Report for America team’s ability to speak directly to the challenges of nonprofit local journalism has accelerated our learning curve and helped us build smarter, faster. What stands out most is the team’s diversity of thought, background, and perspective. They uniquely understand the specific needs of our newsroom and brings practical, mission-aligned solutions to the table. From stewardship strategy to deepening member engagement, their insight has been a critical resource as we grow toward long-term sustainability.

The resources and toolkits Report for America provides, including templated fundraising appeals, campaign guidance, and one-on-one coaching, are impressively comprehensive. You’ve helped frame the public service value of our corps member in ways that resonate with our supporters, which has absolutely elevated our fundraising communications. We are deeply grateful for your partnership. Report for America’s belief in our mission—and your investment in helping us grow our philanthropic base—has made a real difference.

Community News Funds

Collaborations between local newsrooms and community foundations have also proven to be sustainable paths forward for journalism philanthropy. Learn more about what we’ve found in our 2022 Community News Funds report.