Dear Reader,
When our publications joined NEWSWELL earlier this year, we talked about building a stronger, more sustainable future for local journalism. Today, I’m excited to share one of the first major signs of that future taking shape.
NEWSWELL Chicago has received a transformative three-year grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation that will allow us to expand our newsroom with three additional full-time reporters and an editor – greatly expanding our reporting corps. We thank the MacArthur Foundation for their generosity and their belief in our work.
This investment is transformative for both our newsroom and for the communities we serve. It reflects a growing belief that local journalism matters and that our neighborhoods deserve strong, independent reporting that informs residents, strengthens civic life and holds institutions accountable.
Just as importantly, it demonstrates the value of being part of NEWSWELL. Their commitment to preserving local journalism, combined with the scale and reputation of a national nonprofit, has opened doors that simply weren’t available before. Together, we’re building something stronger than any one newsroom could build alone.
The impact will be felt across every community we cover.
These additional journalists allow us to deliver not just more coverage, but better coverage. We’ll spend more time in our schools. We’ll deepen our reporting on local governments and public agencies. We’ll tell more stories about neighborhood businesses, nonprofits, arts organizations and the people who make our communities thrive. We’ll pursue more enterprise and accountability reporting while remaining present for the everyday stories that connect neighbors to one another.
In Austin, for example, a dedicated full-time reporter means more in-depth, authentic storytelling for a community of nearly 100,000 residents.
This is an exciting milestone, but it isn’t the finish line. This investment gives us the ability to grow our newsroom and better serve our communities, but there is still important work ahead. The long-term health of these publications depends on a broad coalition of readers, local businesses, community partners and philanthropists who believe this work matters.
If you’ve supported our work before, thank you. You helped make moments like this possible. We hope you’ll continue to be part of this journey. If you’re considering supporting us for the first time, there’s never been a better time to invest in local journalism. Every dollar raised locally strengthens our ability to serve our communities, expands our reporting and helps ensure these publications remain a trusted civic institution for generations to come. We’re relying on you.
With gratitude,
Max Reinsdorf
General Manager
NEWSWELL Chicago