Why support local news?
Because it’s an essential public good.
High-quality, nonpartisan local news and information requires community investment at the individual and institutional level.
If you are a foundation leader, public sector fund manager, or impact investor — please contact Melissa Davis (CMP Chair, Gates Family Foundation) or Sarah Kurz (CMP Vice Chair, Rose Community Foundation) to learn more about Colorado Media Project’s Funder Table, a peer-to-peer network where we learn from innovators across Colorado and the U.S., strategize together, and leverage our resources via pooled funds and co-funding to address big issues that extend beyond any single newsroom, organization, topic, sector or community.
If you are a Colorado resident, business, foundation, or philanthropic individual — below are a number of additional ways you can make a direct impact in your community:
Photo courtesy of Associated Press
support your local newsroom
Bottom line: Colorado’s independent, nonpartisan local news outlets won’t exist without investment from community members like you. Donate, become a member, or subscribe today. These sources can help you find a high-quality local newsroom in your region or neighborhood:
Institute for Nonprofit News is a national network of mission-driven sites, including these outlets based in or covering Colorado.
Colorado News Collaborative is an unprecedented coalition of dedicated local journalists from more than 100 Colorado newsrooms.
Colorado Press Association is the state’s premier professional journalism association, with more than 130 members.
support better news for all coloradans
The Colorado News Collaborative (COLab) is a media resource hub and ideas lab working with newsrooms and community partners to deliver Better News, More Trust and Faster Innovation for our state. To support COLab’s projects and work to strengthen local news, donate to the Colorado News Collaborative.
Colorado journalists and all the state’s residents deserve easy and affordable access to public records. Support the Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition and the Reporter’s Committee for Freedom of the Press’ Local Legal Initiative to ensure we all have the tools to ensure government transparency and accountability.
News Voices in Boulder (CMP photo)
ADVANCING EQUITY IN local news
Colorado’s communities of color, non-English speakers, rural residents and other historically under- and misrepresented communities deserve local news that centers their needs, voices and aspirations.
In January 2022, CMP’s Informed Communities fund provided nearly $1 million in new grants to support Colorado newsrooms, journalists, and media entrepreneurs in launching new projects and strengthening existing efforts to serve diverse communities across the state.
COLab is leading The Voices Initiative to support community leaders, journalists, and media makers in envisioning and create a local news ecosystem that better serves communities of color. Read calls to action from the Black Voices and Latinx Voices working groups.
INVEST IN #newsconeeds
Since 2018, Colorado Media Project’s #newsCOneeds Challenge has provided matching grants to dozens of locally owned and/or nonprofit newsrooms, to inspire their readers and listeners to give generously.
This program also provides newsrooms with collateral, messaging, and coaching to run successful year-end campaigns to gain more individual subscribers, members or donors and become more sustainable:
Donate to CMP’s #newsCOneeds Matching Fund at Rose Community Foundation (put “#newsCOneeds” in the Notes field)
Photo courtesy of Colorado Sun