The Arizona Local News Foundation connects communities across our state with more impactful local news to drive our state forward.
Backed by nearly 400 local media brands that are part of the Arizona Media Association and overseen by its independent board of directors, the Foundation funds programs that ensure information is more accessible and impactful in every Arizona community.
Local news has the power to bind communities together. When it’s done right, the result is more conversations at the kitchen tables, louder voices in civic spaces, and momentum for real, measurable change in communities statewide.
Arizona’s local media offers the loudest megaphone for public attention in our state.
We’re here to put a stake in the ground by injecting new solutions that can put this powerful reach to use, expanding community conversation and engagement. Join us today!
Addressing the Arizona local news crisis with key solutions:
Arizona Community Collaboration Fund: We’ve partnered with every local newsroom in Arizona, from major outlets to small rural publishers, to tackle the state’s biggest challenges. By funding more journalists and solution-focused stories, we’re increasing coverage on underreported issues that matter most to Arizonans. Read more about our ongoing Arizona Community Collaborative here.
Startup & Innovation Fund: We provide seed funding to launch and grow local newsrooms — and support bold new ideas inside existing ones. From audience engagement to storytelling innovation, we don’t just encourage creativity — we invest in it. Applications are NOW OPEN, read program description and fill out application here.
Intern & Fellowship Fund: We fully fund paid internships to grow the next generation of Arizona journalists. Interns work 12 weeks in local newsrooms, gaining hands-on experience while grounding their work in trust, service, and community.
Local news fills a role no other group replicates in Arizona:
Information Hub:
Every hour of every day, local news gathers information from across our communities to deliver basic facts and support a free exchange of ideas. This creates community conversation and effects real change.
Community Connection + Economic Engine:
Local news binds communities together by reporting about local events, local businesses, and local success stories. This information helps people shop, invest and work, which in turn supports our families and our local economy.
Emergency Information:
During times of confusion and crisis, especially during public safety threats and natural disasters, local news is often the only support for people to make life-saving decisions.
Accountability:
A diverse local news community acts as a watchdog and creates accountability when it’s warranted. This scrutiny is vital for preventing corruption and ensuring the broader public interest.
Our Arizona Local News Foundation is indebted to the below Founding Donors who helped us launch this mission.
OUR FOUNDATION BOARD:
Chair: Chris Kline | Desert Botanical Garden
Sustaining board members:
Stacy Sullivan | Flinn Foundation
Past Board Chair
Rhonda Bannard | Founder, Earth Gives
Teri Hayt | Arizona Capitol Times
Anita Helt | Scripps Media
Tom Hoof | Marketing Executive
Julie Shaw | Julie Shaw Consulting
Silvia Solis Garza | azcentral.com
Cassandra Snelling | Lane Terralever
Arizona Media Association board representation:
Charlene Bisson | Independent Newsmedia
Debbie Bush | Gray TV
Brian Kramer | Kramer Publishing
Michael Mallace | East Valley Institute of Technology
