American Journalism Project invests $1.5 million in Fort Worth Report to expand coverage across Tarrant County
WASHINGTON — Dec. 17, 2025 — The American Journalism Project today announced a new $1.5 million investment in Fort Worth Report. This investment will support the organization’s efforts to grow its coverage across Tarrant County in response to needs identified through in-depth community research and engagement.
Fort Worth is the eleventh-largest city in the United States, and the broader Tarrant County region is rapidly growing. With support from the American Journalism Project, Fort Worth Report will evolve from a single metropolitan operation, with one Arlington-focused staff member, into a network of local bureaus serving not only Fort Worth but also Arlington and the dynamic communities across the county.
The American Journalism Project made its first investment in Fort Worth Report in 2022. Since launching in 2021, the organization has grown from a three-person reporting team with a $600,000 budget to a newsroom of 17 journalists with a $2.9 million annual budget. The publication recently surpassed 100,000 subscribers to its free newsletters.
“Fort Worth Report plays an essential role in strengthening community connection across one of the country’s largest and fastest growing metropolitan regions,” said Sarabeth Berman, CEO of the American Journalism Project. “We are pleased to support this next phase of growth. Our investment reflects our confidence in Fort Worth Report’s emerging model for delivering independent local journalism in suburban communities that lack reliable sources of news.”
Fort Worth Report’s expansion is guided by rigorous community research and sustained engagement across the region. Insights gathered through initiatives such as audience surveys and reader advisory councils have informed its editorial priorities and strategic direction. The findings demonstrate a clear need for expanded accountability reporting, more consistent neighborhood-level coverage, and community-centered journalism delivered in a nonpartisan way that respects the audience.
“Residents across Tarrant County rely on Fort Worth Report for clear, independent reporting on the issues shaping their daily lives,” said Chris Cobler, CEO and publisher of Fort Worth Report. “This investment enables us to reach more communities with the kind of journalism that supports civic understanding and informed decision-making.”
The American Journalism Project’s investment will support key business, revenue and community partnership roles that are essential for long-term sustainability. These roles will bolster the organization’s ability to diversify revenue, strengthen donor and sponsor relationships, and build the operational foundation required to support a countywide news network.
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Media Contact: Roshni Neslage, American Journalism Project, 954-526-1565, media@theajp.org
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About the American Journalism Project
The American Journalism Project is the first venture philanthropy organization dedicated to local news. We make catalytic investments in nonprofit news organizations and partner with communities to launch new outlets. Since 2019, we’ve invested in dozens of local news outlets, providing them with capital, strategic guidance and operational expertise to grow their reach and impact. By strengthening and scaling a sustainable field of local news organizations, we are working to ensure that people have access to the trusted, independent local journalism they need to participate in civic life.
About Fort Worth Report
The Fort Worth Report is a nonprofit and nonpartisan news organization committed to making Fort Worth and Tarrant County better through trusted local news reporting and information.
A group of business and civic leaders, acutely feeling the steep decline of the legacy newspaper, founded the Report in April 20201, pledging to provide high-quality objective local journalism that informs public decision-making, addresses the quality of life of the community’s residents, holds policymakers accountable, and tells the audience’s stories by listening to them and making sure they are valued and understood. Above all, trust is paramount.