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McKnight Foundation invests $200,000 in Metro Nonprofit News Network to Support Local Newsrooms

Minneapolis, MN – October 10, 2024—The Metro Nonprofit News Network (MNNN) is excited to announce it has received a $200,000 grant from the McKnight Foundation. Over the next two years, this funding will support the creation of infrastructure and training to accelerate the founding and sustainability of community-owned, nonprofit newsrooms in suburban areas across the Twin Cities metro area.

The grant will enable MNNN to provide shared services, mentorship, and financial guidance to hyperlocal, nonprofit, independent newsrooms in the Twin Cities. MNNN will help address the challenges of misinformation, declining local newspapers, and reduced civic engagement, supporting the growth and sustainability of nonpartisan, community-based journalism.

“Community leaders in towns that have lost their newspapers since the pandemic are looking for new approaches to reporting local news,” said Steve Schewe, Publisher and CEO of Eden Prairie Local News. “MNNN aims to inspire these leaders to found local newsrooms that reflect the unique qualities of their towns, while offering a network of mutual support from other newsrooms.  We’re in this together, and we’re grateful for McKnight Foundation’s funding.”

Serving Local Communities

The new network will support the following news outlets in the suburbs of the Twin Cities:

• Eden Prairie Local News
• Woodbury News Net
• Prior Lake News Compass

The Woodbury News Net recently launched its newsletter, The Roundabout, led by former state senators Susan Kent and Kathy Saltzman. “I was still in office when our last paper shuttered, and I saw in real time how hard it was for our neighbors to find out what was going on. People in Woodbury know more about the Minneapolis city council than our own,” said Kent. “When we reached out to community members to gauge interest in forming a group to start a local newsroom,” said Saltzman, “their positive response was universal and enthusiastic.”

Over the two-year grant, MNNN aims to identify and support the launch of three additional community newsrooms and build a diverse and collaborative project board.

Fostering Community Engagement and Sustainable Growth

“When a community loses its newspaper, there is no longer a comprehensive source where local residents can find information on decisions being made by elected officials, its schools and city government. Having access to information about local news and events encourages participation and fosters a greater sense of belonging among those who live there. Collectively, that’s our goal,” said Laurie Hartmann, Publisher of Prior Lake News Compass.

Community grassroots involvement, including individual donors and local business support, is essential for the long-term success of these newsrooms. In addition, through partnerships with national journalism organizations such as the Tiny News Collective and the Institute for Nonprofit News, MNNN will help these newsrooms grow their audiences, increase revenue, and boost civic engagement across the metro area.

As part of the partnership, the three news organizations will become members of the Tiny News Collective, which supports early-stage news founders filling critical news and information gaps and knitting together their communities more tightly.

MNNN acknowledges the pivotal role of the McKnight Foundation and other donors who support local journalism. Eden Prairie Local News has shown exceptional leadership in sharing its expertise and helping other Twin Cities communities establish their own community-owned nonprofit newsrooms. The Eden Prairie Community Foundation has played a key role as a catalyst and fiscal sponsor for the network.

About the Metro Nonprofit News Network

The Metro Nonprofit News Network (MNNN) is a collaborative initiative that supports the creation and sustainability of local nonprofit newsrooms across the Twin Cities metro area. Through shared services and strategic partnerships, MNNN helps local news organizations provide independent, high-quality journalism to communities affected by the decline of traditional media.

About McKnight Foundation

The McKnight Foundation, a Minnesota-based family foundation, advances a more just, creative, and abundant future where people and the planet thrive. Established in 1953, the McKnight Foundation is deeply committed to advancing climate solutions in the Midwest;  building an equitable and inclusive Minnesota; and supporting the arts and culture in Minnesota, neuroscience, and global food systems. In alignment with Press Forward, the foundation’s leadership addresses the decline of local journalism and sets a powerful example for others to invest in local nonprofit news.

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For more information, please contact:

Charlie Weaver, Project Director
Metro Nonprofit News Network
Phone: (612) 434-4061