The Arizona Local News Foundation has announced a significant funding initiative for 15 local newsrooms, aimed specifically at enhancing journalism focused on education solutions across the state.

A total of $2 million in philanthropic support has already been secured through the Arizona Community Collaborative, allowing each selected newsroom to hire a dedicated journalist to report on education issues.

This initiative seeks to drive tangible improvements in access to educational information and services within Arizona’s education system. The Arizona Media Association plans to utilize its network of over 250 local media brands to amplify educational advertising and resources beneficial to families statewide.

Chris Kline, President and CEO of the Arizona Media Association and the Arizona Local News Foundation, emphasized the ambition of this project, stating, “This is one of the most ambitious efforts in Arizona’s history to empower local media and tackle one of our state’s most pressing challenges.” He remarked on the potential for renewed community engagement and a focus on improving educational outcomes for students of all ages.

The collaborative effort will also include metrics to measure progress, ensuring that the goals set are actively pursued with accountability.

Fifteen newsrooms were chosen from a competitive selection process in which 40 Arizona newsrooms applied. The selected partners include a mix of urban and rural outlets across various media formats such as digital, print, radio, and television:

• Arizona Daily Sun, Wick Communications, Flagstaff
• Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, Community non-profit, Phoenix
• Arizona Luminaria, Community non-profit, Tucson
• Arizona Republic, Gannett, Phoenix
• Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, Kramer Media, Pinal County
• Colorado River Public Media, Arizona Western College, Yuma
• Independent Newsmedia, Independent Newsmedia Inc., Phoenix
• KAET-TV, ASU Media Enterprise, Phoenix
• KOLD-TV, Gray Media, Tucson
• KPNX-TV, Tegna, Inc., Phoenix
• KTAR-FM, Bonneville International, Phoenix
• Nogales International, Wick Communications, Southern Arizona
• Prescott Newspapers, Western News&Info., Prescott
• Today’s News-Herald, River City Newspapers, LLC., Lake Havasu
• Univision Arizona, TelevisaUnivision, statewide

The Arizona Community Collaborative is actively seeking additional philanthropic contributions to further benefit this educational initiative and to extend its reach to more local newsrooms.

Community partners looking to engage with this mission can contact Nate Kelly at 602.252.4833, ext. 2, or via email at nate@azmedia.org.

Current partners include various philanthropic organizations such as Potoff Private Philanthropy, Arizona Education Economic Commission, and the Burton Family Foundation, among others.

This represents the second Arizona Community Collaborative initiative from the Arizona Local News Foundation and the Arizona Media Association. The previous project successfully aimed to make the state’s 2024 political debates among the most accessible in history, with broad collaboration among local media brands.

The Arizona Local News Foundation’s ultimate goal is to enhance locality in news coverage, driving forward community engagement and informed citizenship across the state.

The Arizona Media Association serves as the official trade association for the local media industry, advocating for the integral role of media in strengthening community connections throughout Arizona.