Press Forward MN

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About Press Forward MN

Press Forward MN is a statewide movement to re-center local journalism as a force for community cohesion, civic participation, and government accountability, with a focus on racial equity. Press Forward MN is a five-year initiative with the goal of raising $10 million dollars to reinvest in Minnesota’s local news ecosystem.

Press Forward MN is a local chapter of the national Press Forward movement to strengthen democracy by revitalizing local news and information.

Press Forward MN Goals

1. Create a pooled grantmaking fund dedicated to strengthening the local news infrastructure across Minnesota. 
2. Provide learning opportunities and facilitate connections between communities, the local news field, and the charitable sector. 
3. Optimize philanthropy’s role in supporting the local news ecosystem.
4. Explore long-term strategies to sustain and enhance Minnesota's local news ecosystem, such as through public policy, increased collaboration, and structural enhancements.

Committees
There are two committees which guide and support the work of Press Forward MN.

• Host Committee: inclusive of practitioners and funders that will provide directional guidance and help set priorities and strategies for Press Forward MN. The host committee will not be doing grant review or making grant decisions, nor will the host committee or any of its members have any advisory privileges with respect to the distribution or investment of amounts held in the Press Forward Minnesota Pooled Fund.
• Grantmaking Committee: composed of people with relevant experience, including but not limited to: local journalism knowledge, grantmaking experience. MCF will engage the grantmaking committee to review proposals and recommend grant decisions. The grantmaking committee will not include any donor to the Press Forward Minnesota Pooled Fund or any person appointed or designated by such a donor.

Learn more about the host and grantmaking committees.

Pooled Fund 
The Press Forward MN pooled fund will support programs and organizations that will strengthen democracy at the local level, support diversity, lean into digital technology, long term sustainable models, drive demand for high quality local news and information for every member of every community to thrive.

To learn more or contribute to the fund, contact May Yang at myang@mcf.org

Press Forward MN Leadership 

• May Yang, Senior Policy and Partnerships Manager, Minnesota Council on Foundations 
• Mukhtar Ibrahim, Press Forward MN Strategy Consultant
• Tim Murphy, Program Officer—Alignment & Vibrant and Equitable Communities, McKnight Foundation

Engagement Opportunities

To learn more about Press Forward MN or to be added to our contact list, please email pressforwardmn@mcf.org 

Fall 2024 Grant Round 

The Press Forward MN Closing Coverage Gaps Grant round is now closed.