North Carolina Local News Lab Fund

??Today, the North Carolina Local News Lab Fund announced $535,000 in new grants to 31 local news and community organizations. On the heels of Hurricane Helene and days before early voting begins in North Carolina, we’re sharing expanded support for organizations in Western NC, along with a statewide network of trusted communicators. This latest round of grants will provide grant recipients with flexible funding to best meet their communities’ needs, from providing life-saving information during the emergency response to helping people across the state navigate their local elections. A quarter of the organizations awarded in this grant cycle are based in or have a local reporter in Western North Carolina. We’re proud to support trusted communicators across the state who drive understanding and share essential information in this moment and beyond. Read the announcement to learn more about our latest cohort and how they ensure their communities can find, trust, and use the information they need to make decisions impacting their daily lives: https://lnkd.in/eJenYMZe

??Congratulations to North Carolina news organizations that received funding today from Press Forward’s Open Call on Closing Local Coverage Gaps: Border Belt Independent, Carolina Public Press, Down in the County, Hola Carolina, JMPRO Community Media, North Carolina Health News, QCity Metro, Qnotes, and Shoresides. These NC newsrooms are some of the 205 grantees nationwide that are connecting their communities with the information they need to thrive. As the home of Press Forward North Carolina and Press Forward Charlotte, we’re proud to be a part of a national coalition of funders and donors committed to strengthening our democracy and transforming the local news landscape. Learn more about Press Forward’s 205 grantees in the post below and join us in congratulating grantees in the comments.

With early voting beginning in two weeks on October 17, we're celebrating the work and impact of one of our grant partners, You Can Vote. Founded in 2014, You Can Vote plays a vital role in North Carolina's news and information ecosystem, ensuring that people have the most up-to-date voting information delivered by people they trust. Read our spotlight to learn about how You Can Vote: ??Makes sense of confusing voting laws through clear, accurate information. ??Builds partnerships with trusted community members to expand its reach. ??Meets people where they are to foster lifelong voters. Learn more about their approach and impact at the following link and check out more of You Can Vote's resources in the comments: https://lnkd.in/eUc5G3qX Helping people navigate the voting process is essential to civic participation across the state. We know that the devastation of Hurricane Helene brings significant barriers for people to participate in the election. In addition to elevating information that helps communities navigate the immediate response and recovery, we’ll amplify trusted resources about how people in WNC can access information about voting, and how others can support these efforts.

As Western NC continues to reel from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, news and community organizations on the ground are communicating accurate and life-saving information to their communities. Covering the aftermath of Hurricane Helene requires more resources to continue their operations and provide crucial information — from the immediate response through the long recovery ahead. ? Consider making a direct donation to the Western NC news and community organizations below. You can also find these donation links on our site as we provide regular updates to news, information, and resources on Hurricane Helene: https://lnkd.in/eRhYzp2P ??Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR): https://lnkd.in/e5WQEXDh? ??JMPRO Community Media (Spanish and K?iche?-language coverage): https://lnkd.in/eYgYEv6v ??Smoky Mountain News: https://lnkd.in/eENuBBmH? ??Mountain Xpress: https://lnkd.in/esgk45wk? ??PODER Emma (Spanish-language community updates): https://lnkd.in/evUABiNW? ?? Enlace Latino NC (Spanish-language coverage with a reporter in WNC): https://lnkd.in/eKNd-6gk? ??Hola Carolina (Spanish-language coverage): https://lnkd.in/esRQYdRQ? ?? Carolina Public Press: https://lnkd.in/gDP8TVSZ? ??Centro Unido Latino Americano: https://lnkd.in/ezH-VGbq What other WNC news and community organizations are on-the-ground reporting and sharing vital information right now? Drop their names, links, and donation/supply needs in the comments. ??

What we've already learned about the devastation in Western North Carolina is horrific. There is much to be done, and many people are already helping people get or stay safe. As our neighbors navigate the next days, weeks and months on the road to recovery, it's more important than ever to have access to trusted, accurate information about what's happening on the ground, where to get support if you're affected, and how to help from near and far. We are elevating trusted news and community organizations covering the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, along with disaster relief, recovery efforts, and mutual aid groups you can support today. We invite you to share this information with your networks far and wide. UPDATE: As of 10/1, we'll regularly update the below list on our website at the following link: https://lnkd.in/eRhYzp2P Western NC news and community orgs reporting locally relevant news and sharing resources: ?? Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR): https://www.bpr.org/. Listen to their news stream for reporting in English and Spanish: https://lnkd.in/eZ3rc-3z ?? JMPRO Community Media (Spanish and K?iche?-language coverage): https://lnkd.in/eRzyw4xm ?? The Southern Scoop: https://lnkd.in/eNiAS-pc ?? Smoky Mountain News: https://lnkd.in/eKmp6wT4 ?? Mountain Xpress: https://lnkd.in/etaUA5YR ?? PODER Emma (Spanish-language community updates): https://lnkd.in/eR87FUKG ?? Enlace Latino NC (Spanish-language coverage with a reporter in WNC): https://lnkd.in/eywFJ4jF ?? Hola Carolina (Spanish-language coverage): https://lnkd.in/eUGudNxw? ?? Carolina Public Press: https://lnkd.in/eBZWFsP ? Additional NC-based news orgs reporting on the aftermath of Hurricane Helene: ?? NC Health News: https://lnkd.in/evjz6qZd ?? The Charlotte Ledger: https://lnkd.in/eKTcqETE ?? The Assembly: https://lnkd.in/gqAnpSpE ? Hurricane Helene disaster relief and recovery efforts you can support today: ?? The Community Foundation of Western North Carolina: https://lnkd.in/gkBi3hQf ?? North Carolina Community Foundation: https://lnkd.in/eZcXU9Te ?? Appalachia Funders Network Helene Response Fund: https://lnkd.in/e_3jeJ79 ?? North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund: https://lnkd.in/eeWj-4CM ?? Day One Relief: https://lnkd.in/eh_2PGDE ?? North Carolina Network of Grantmakers shortlist: https://lnkd.in/ee7AuEMc ?? BeLoved Asheville: https://lnkd.in/dGs2ubZV and donations via Venmo ?? Blue Ridge Public Radio (BPR)’s compiled list of organizations to support: https://lnkd.in/eHhbUW6J

?? The 2024 election is only 40 days away. Journalists, newsrooms, and community organizations looking for election coverage support: check out the Knight Election Hub for free and subsidized resources on data, software, polling, training, and access to expertise. ?? https://lnkd.in/gYmmShzk

?? Our grant partner Enlace Latino NC recently announced their participation as a local member of the newly launched Latino Media Consortium. The Consortium aims to “empower more Latino voters and communities with reliable, culturally relevant news and information.”

New from our grant partner the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative: the CJC Election Hub. Launched as part of this year’s #DemocracyDay, the hub is a “one-stop location for 2024 election and democracy coverage.” The CJC Election Hub includes reporting on how the Charlotte Journalism Collaborative will cover North Carolina’s 2024 election and coverage from partners, including The Charlotte Observer, La Noticia, Q City Metro, WCNC Charlotte, and fellow Fund grant partners Qnotes Carolinas and WFAE. The CJC Election Hub also includes important voter dates and deadlines in North Carolina so Charlotte residents can stay election-ready. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/einyE3Zm

??? #NCResidents: Early voting begins on October 17! To stay election-ready, use our grant partner You Can Vote’s comprehensive voter guide in English and Spanish so you can: ?Register to vote or check your voter registration ?See who and what is on your ballot ?Access voter ID info and FAQ Check out their voter guide today: https://lnkd.in/gcv8rcPx

Are you interested in joining the planning committee for the 2025 NC News and Information Summit? Interest forms are due this Wednesday, September 18 at 5 pm ET. Check out the post below for more details. ??