New Mexico is now part of a $500 million effort to rebuild and revitalize local news around the country.
The state is joining 10 other new Press Forward chapters, bringing the total to 17. Press Forward is a coalition of some of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations and the New Mexico chapter will be co-lead by the Santa Fe-based Thornburg Foundation and the University of New Mexico’s longtime partner, the New Mexico Local News Fund.
“Bringing Press Forward to New Mexico will be transformative to our local news ecosystem,” Local News Fund Executive Director Rashad Mahmood said in a statement. “The chance to collaborate with top foundations and funders in our state to support local news is a game-changer for our underserved communities who often struggle to get the news and information they need.”
The Thornburg Foundation has supported UNM’s journalism efforts including the People, Power and Democracy Project, which was a partnership between UNM student journalists, KUNM, KNME and New Mexico in Depth.
“The Thornburg Foundation strongly believes in the power of local journalism and its power to inform and educate the public, increase government accountability, and strengthen our democracy, “ Thornburg Foundation Executive Director Allan Oliver said in a statement. “We are excited to participate in a coalition of New Mexico funders in Press Forward, which will help bring national investment and help strengthen trusted news in communities around our state.”
Other Press Forward New Mexico partners include the Albuquerque Community Foundation, Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, McCune Charitable Foundation, New Mexico Foundation and Santa Fe Community Foundation.
Press Forward New Mexico aims to raise $3 million over five years, which would be matched by the national team. The goal is for philanthropic leaders, civic-minded individuals and regional foundations to pool their dollars to support the network of independent news outlets serving New Mexico’s diverse communities.
The chapter also now has the chance to apply for up to $250,000 in Catalyst Funds to accelerate its work, as well as access to tech assistance, a network of supportive journalists and professional development and training.
It will also be another way for budding journalists in UNM’s communciations and journalism program to build their careers in their home state.
“Local news is facing an existential crisis but New Mexico has been a leader in working on solutions to the problems that threaten our industry and its ability to support a robust democracy,” said C&J Professor of Practice Gwyneth Doland. “I’m thrilled that some of our state’s largest and most effective charitable organizations are committed to raising money for innovative solutions to this crisis.”
Since 2019, UNM and the New Mexico Local News Fund have placed graduates from UNM, New Mexico State University and Eastern New Mexico University into newsrooms around the state, helping to build a pipeline of diverse journalists—from interns to full-timers.
In 2023, New Mexico’s Department of Workforce Solutions invested $125,000 in fellowship or internship programs and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham subsequently approved a two-year, $200,000 appropriation to the Department of Workforce Solutions to continue the effort.