American Journalism Project invests $3.5 million in the growth of three local news organizations

Announcements

WASHINGTON — Oct. 28, 2025 — The American Journalism Project today announced $3.5 million in new support for three nonprofit local news organizations: Cardinal News, Honolulu Civil Beat and the Nashville Banner. The investments will help each newsroom grow sustainably to better serve their communities with trusted, independent local news.

The American Journalism Project will provide each organization with capital and hands-on venture support, including strategic guidance and capacity-building resources. This support will help them grow their revenue, operations, and audience teams and build the foundation to expand their newsrooms for the long term.

“Each of these organizations has built strong momentum by serving their communities with essential local news and information,” said Sarabeth Berman, CEO of the American Journalism Project. “Our investment builds on that progress, helping them grow their teams, strengthen their operations, and continue proving that sustainable local news is possible. We’re proud to support their work as they grow and deepen their impact.”

Each organization will use this support to pursue distinct growth strategies tailored to their communities. More details on each organization and their plans for growth are below:

  • Cardinal News, Virginia ($800,000) — Cardinal News plans to deepen coverage across Southwest and Southside Virginia with independent reporting that serves the region’s largely rural communities. The news organization aims to grow the number of place-based reporters in areas like the New River Valley and Alleghany Highlands, add energy and environment reporting and visual storytelling capacity, and expand its innovative hyperlocal Agenda stories, which preview important weekly local decisions at the community level. AJP’s investment will support the growth of its business and operations team, including roles in fundraising, membership, sponsorship, and sales, to build the infrastructure for long-term sustainability.
  • Honolulu Civil Beat, Honolulu, Hawai’i ($1.5 million) — Honolulu Civil Beat plans to expand editorial capacity to serve the state of Hawai’i, with an initial focus on expansion to the neighbor islands. Civil Beat will aim to add reporters to beats covering pressing local issues, such as regional legislation and health access, while also building editorial capacity in Maui, Hawaiʻi, and Kauaʻi counties. AJP support will grow the business operations team by investing in revenue-generating positions focusing on major donor and institutional giving, small donors and business support, with a particular focus on cultivating donors on the neighbor islands.
  • The Nashville Banner, Nashville, Tenn. ($1.2 million) — The Nashville Banner plans to expand its statehouse reporting and broaden its metro coverage across Greater Nashville by adding new beats in health, housing and development, and climate and the environment. The Banner’s approach aims to rebuild civic engagement in a state with one of the nation’s lowest voter turnout rates, creating a cycle where community voices inform local reporting, and local reporting equips residents to engage with and influence the systems that shape their lives. AJP funding will support roles in audience engagement, membership, corporate support, and operations, while also supporting its audience development strategies to expand the Banner’s reach across Middle Tennessee.

These grants expand the American Journalism Project’s national portfolio of local news organizations. Since its launch in 2019, the American Journalism Project has raised $243 million and invested in 53 nonprofit local news organizations across the country, expanding access to trusted, independent local reporting. In 2024, AJP’s portfolio generated $128 million in revenue, with 86% of portfolio organizations increasing their revenue in 2024, and employed 717 full-time newsroom staff, a 26% increase over 2023.

 

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.

Media Contact: Roshni Neslage, Head of Communications, American Journalism Project, 954-526-1565