(Sharing this press release from my friends and benefactors at the NM Local News Fund. This marks another advance in our local news ecosystem survival strategy, of which I’m part. If you care about local news, especially in a state like New Mexico, please consider acting on this opportunity! — MM)
RELEASE DATE: Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021
CONTACT: Rashad Mahmood, New Mexico Local News Fund co-director: [email protected] (443-486-2406)
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The first-ever statewide giving initiative to encourage support for local journalism in New Mexico will launch Nov. 30 — this year’s Giving Tuesday.
Spearheaded by the New Mexico Local News Fund (a fiscally sponsored project of the Santa Fe Community Foundation), the Local News Matching Campaign will support local news organizations around the state by boosting support from the communities they serve.
How does it work?
The Local News Fund will match every dollar raised (up to $3,000 per organization) by each of 11 partner organizations from their audiences in the month of December. Their fundraising can take the form of new subscriptions, donations or memberships.
The partner news organizations, which were selected by NMLNF after an open application period, are:
“Vibrant local news organizations are crucial for ensuring that New Mexicans have access to the news and information they need to make the best decisions they can for their families,” said Rashad Mahmood, co-director of the New Mexico Local News fund. “This giving season we’re asking New Mexicans to step up and support local news.”
Look for the #supportNMnews hashtag on social media to promote giving.
As part of the initiative, newsrooms are crafting their own fundraising campaigns, but also have access to support. NMLNF provided a training session, promotional language and consulting support via the experts at News Revenue Hub to help create fundraising infrastructure at participating newsrooms.
The editor of the Questa Del Rio News, Lou McCall says, “These matching funds from the NMLNF will pay our volunteer writers and allow us to hire a full-time, bilingual staff reporter for in-depth coverage of local news and events.”
NMLNF believes local news is a cornerstone of democracy by helping to keep residents informed about the important issues going on in their communities on a daily basis. Many local news outlets have struggled during the pandemic, with some going out of business completely. Fundraising is expected to play an increasingly important role as a means for local news publishers to remain viable.
About the New Mexico Local News Fund
NMLNF was founded in 2018 with the goal of addressing structural challenges within the local news and information landscape of New Mexico. Other initiatives include a fellowship program for recent journalism graduates, a revenue project designed to help publishers experiment with new business and audience strategies, and efforts to boost mental health support for journalists. For more info, visit: https://www.nmlocalnews.org/