One in four newspapers has shuttered in the last 15 years.
Through our impact and community screenings campaign, we aim to help secure the future of credible local news and newspapers in towns, suburbs and cities nationwide—toward the survival of equitable and sustainable communities, an informed electorate, and a functioning democracy. To meet our goals, we are partnering with newsrooms, publishers, professional associations, advocacy and education organizations, journalism schools, policymakers, PBS stations and other stakeholders nationwide.
Interested in partnering with us or hosting a screening in your community? We’d love to connect! Email our impact team at stormlake@redowlpartners.com.
TAKE ACTION
- Find your news — and show your support by subscribing or donating.
Connect with local newspapers in your area and show your support with a donation or subscription. Find Your News, a tool from the Institute for Nonprofit News, connects you with local nonprofit newspapers — and now through the end of the year, donations to these papers will be doubled through the collaborative fundraising movement NewsMatch. Las noticias de la gente para la gente no pueden sobrevivir sin su ayuda. - Learn about bipartisan legislative efforts to secure local news.
Learn about the bipartisan effort happening right now in Congress to support local news. Rebuild Local News is a coalition of 3000+ newsrooms, including weekly community newspapers, citywide nonprofit websites, ethnic publications, centers for state watchdog journalism, digital-first news sites, rural papers, public radio stations, and family-owned newspapers. - Do you live in a news desert? Find out and find out why.
Do you live in a news desert? What is the quality of news in your area? Use this interactive tool to find out and explore the 2020 report News Deserts and Ghost Newspapers.
Without quality local journalism, studies have shown that we are collectively less informed, less engaged and more corrupt – and local news faces an existential crisis. As the United States grapples with voter suppression and political polarization, one in four newspapers has shuttered in the last 15 years.
SUPPORT THE CAMPAIGN
To support STORM LAKE’s outreach and engagement campaign that will help to sustain the future of local news, please make a tax-deductible donation via our fiscal sponsor FilmScene.
To support, protect, strengthen, and expand local public interest reporting in Western Iowa, please make your tax-deductible donation to the Western Iowa Journalism Foundation.
To all of the film’s generous supporters, thank you!
Partners
American Journalism Project
Dedicated to local news, the American Journalism Project is a venture philanthropy organization committed to the vision of an independent, resilient and ubiquitous civic press that represents, informs and engages every member of the diverse public it serves. Learn more at the ajp.org
America’s Newspapers
America’s Newspapers advocates with passion, energy and drive on behalf of America’s newspapers. They provide: A network for education, support, collaboration and connection, education on the latest trends, innovations and changes in the industry, an alliance of local newspaper establishments where members can seek advice, share best practices and tackle challenges, and advocacy and support of First Amendment rights and the protection of the free press. Learn more at newspapers.org
Institute for Nonprofit News
The Institute for Nonprofit News strengthens and supports more than 350 independent news organizations in a new kind of media network: nonprofit, nonpartisan and dedicated to public service. From local news to in-depth reporting on pressing global issues, INN’s members tell stories that otherwise would go untold – connecting communities, holding the powerful accountable and strengthening democracy. INN programs help these news organizations develop revenue and business models to support strong reporting, collaborate on editorial and business innovation, share services and advance the diverse leaders who are forging a new future for news. Learn more at inn.org.
The Lenfest Institute for Journalism
Journalism requires new business models, powerful innovations and diverse audiences. The Lenfest Institute for Journalism is working throughout local news ecosystems, in Philadelphia and beyond, to crack the code on a sustainable future for this vital resource.. Learn more at lenfestinstitute.org
National Newspaper Association
The mission of the National Newspaper Association is to protect, promote and enhance America’s community newspapers through active and effective government relation programs that address the issues affecting community newspapers, by educating readers, advertisers, and policy officials on the benefits and value of community newspapers and by providing information, solutions and strategies on current and emerging issues affecting the business interest of community newspapers. Learn more at nna.org
National Trust for Local News
The National Trust for Local News is a nonprofit dedicated to keeping local news in local hands. We work with communities to catalyze the capital, new ownership structures, and business model transformations needed for established local and community news organizations to thrive and remain deeply grounded in their communities. Learn more at ntln.org.
News Literacy Project
NLP, a nonpartisan national education nonprofit, provides programs and resources for educators and the public to teach, learn and share the abilities needed to be smart, active consumers of news and information and equal and engaged participants in a democracy.
The News Media Alliance
The News Media Alliance is a nonprofit organization representing more than 2,000 news organizations and their multiplatform businesses in the United States and globally. Alliance members include print, digital and mobile publishers of original news content. Headquartered in Arlington, Va., just outside Washington, D.C., the association focuses on ensuring the future of news media through communication, research, advocacy and innovation. Learn more at newsmediaalliance.org
PEN America
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide. We champion the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Our mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible. Learn more at pen.org.
RAYGUN
RAYGUN is an Iowa-based t-shirt company, and the largest unionized clothing chain in America. We partered with them on this special collection of t-shirts, designed & screen printed by union labor, with a portion of proceeds of supporting the Western Iowa Journalism Foundation.
Rebuild Local News
Rebuild Local News is a coalition of organizations advocating for locally-grounded and nonprofit community journalism. The 3,000+ newsrooms that we represent include weekly community newspapers, citywide nonprofit websites, ethnic publications, centers for state watchdog journalism, digital-first news sites, rural papers, public radio stations, and family-owned newspapers as well as the leading organizations advancing local journalism innovation. Learn more at rebuildlocalnews.org
Report for America
Report for America is a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. An initiative of the The GroundTruth Project, it is structured to harness the skills and idealism of an emerging group of journalists plus the creative spirit of local news organizations. Learn more at reportforamerica.org
Solutions Journalism
This organization works to spread the practice of solutions journalism: rigorous reporting on responses to social problems. They seek to rebalance the news, so that every day people are exposed to stories that help them understand problems and challenges, and stories that show potential ways to respond. SolutionsU® connects you to solutions stories about responses to the world’s challenges. Learn more at solutionsjournalism.org