The ABA is pleased to announce a critical new hire as part of our plan to more deeply support local news in every Arizona community.

Maintaining local news and community connection is arguably the most critical role of Arizona broadcasters.

As we first told you last fall, that’s why we are launching the Arizona Local News Foundation this year to solicit private donations, recruit high-dollar donors, apply for grants and build out fundraisers for the future of Arizona local news.

What efforts might our Foundation fund?

• Local news expansion grants to help you hire more journalists
• Local news innovation grants to help newsrooms take risks 
• More paid internships to engage young people in local news career paths

The ABA is earmarking $50,000 to help get the Foundation going and we’re also funding the hire of a Director of Development to lead the charge. 

Today, we’re announcing the hire of Megan Livengood as Executive Director of Development to help launch our Foundation. Megan is the former Executive Director for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation Southwest Chapter. She’s also served as an Associate Director of Development for the University of Arizona Foundation and worked as a fundraiser for the PAC at the National Association of Broadcasters. For the past several years, Megan has also been running her own Arizona nonprofit consulting firm.

Megan’s first day with the ABA will be May 15.  Expect us to move fast this summer as we build our infrastructure to support you and Arizona local news.