Arizona Media Association + Arizona Local News Foundation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2024

PHOENIX- The Arizona Local News Foundation is launching a multi-million-dollar Arizona Community Collaborative to reshape the conversation around Arizona education and focus attention on solutions.

In partnership with public, private and local media operations, this statewide collaborative includes investment for a dramatic expansion of local journalism focused on K-12 and post-secondary education solutions in Arizona. This collaborative also includes a large investment to develop and disseminate more public service advertising about education solutions available to Arizona families.

As of November 2024, there are just a handful of journalists focused solely on storytelling about local education solutions. This Arizona Community Collaborative will change that, supporting the expected hire of 15-20 new education solutions journalists who are living and invested in local communities across our state. Effective immediately, Arizona newsrooms are eligible to apply for multi-year funding grants.

More details are available at https://azmedia.org/foundation/collaborative.

“We’ve built this partnership to showcase Arizona education as ‘critical infrastructure’ for our state’s overall success,” said Chris Kline, President and CEO of the Arizona Media Association and Arizona Local News Foundation. “Despite plenty of innovation in our state, we recognize that Arizona still ranks poorly in most national education rankings. We need to spread the word about what’s available now and in the future, and we’re grateful to our growing list of partners who are making this possible.”

Partners in this collaborative continue to grow and currently include the Potoff Private Philanthropy, Arizona Education Economic Commission, Burton Family Foundation, Report for America, Scripps Howard Foundation, and Arizona Media Association. 

This nonpartisan collaborative defines “education solutions” as the continuum of education choices, options, programs and innovations throughout our state for all ages, in rural and urban areas.

Journalism grant applications are now open for newsrooms across the state. The deadline to apply for this first funding cycle is Wednesday, December 18, 2024. 

All local journalism produced as part of this collaborative will be made available without paywalls and with the pledge by participating local media partners to freely share the content with competing brands assuming proper attribution to the source is included.

In partnership with local nonprofit groups, government agencies and the Arizona Media Association, this collaborative is also supporting increased public service advertising on local TV, radio, print and digital to promote education solutions that currently exist – or are being built – in our state.

This is the second Arizona Community Collaborative sponsored by the Arizona Local News Foundation and its sister organization, the Arizona Media Association. The first partnership focused on making Arizona’s 2024 political debates the most accessible in Arizona history, working with the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission and dozens of local media brands to broadcast 29 debates for races that included Arizona’s U.S. Senate seat, U.S. Congressional districts, Corporation Commission, select county-level races and many ballot propositions.

The Arizona Local News Foundation exists to connect communities with more local news and information that drives our state forward. Backed by 350 local media brands that are part of the Arizona Media Association and overseen by its own independent board of directors, the Foundation funds programs that ensure information is more accessible and impactful in every Arizona community.

The Arizona Media Association is the non-profit corporation that acts as the official trade association for Arizona’s local radio, TV, print and digital industry. The mission of the Association is to futureproof community connection by amplifying the unique role local media can play in every Arizona neighborhood.

New partners interested in joining this Arizona Community Collaborative should reach out to Nate Kelly, nate@azmedia.org.

For press inquiries, please contact Jen Musa, 602.252.4833, foundation@azmedia.org