WHO WE ARE
We are a non-profit newspaper company dedicated to protecting and sustaining community news
Our community newspapers reconnect people to the places they live by protecting the public trust, elevating the facts, empowering their communities with solutions and fostering a strong sense of place
MODERNIZE CORE BUSINESS
DIVERSIFY REVENUE
HARNESS TECHNOLOGY AND DATA
DRIVE PRODUCT INNOVATION
How we make small newspapers sustainable
Four key ingredients create newspapers that are sustained by the communities they serve
How we connect people to the places they live
PROTECTING PUBLIC TRUST
Rebuilding civic fabric by safeguarding the public trust
PLACE-MAKING
Strengthening a sense of place and connectedness by celebrating local identity
SOLUTIONS-FOCUSED
Highlighting stories of agency and possibility – whether about solutions to local problems or the plan for dinner
ELEVATING FACTS
Enhancing public understanding through rigorous, truthful reporting
WHAT WE DO
How we create dynamic and sustainable news enterprises
OUR TEAM
A talented team with deep experience across industries
OUR STANDARDS
EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE POLICY
Local editorial independence is a cornerstone of our operations. We believe in the autonomy of our local newsrooms, whose staff exclusively determine the pursuit, timing, and content of stories. Our commitment to local editorial decision-making is fundamental to public accountability and aligns with the long-standing tradition of editorial independence and integrity within our publications.
GIFT ACCEPTANCE POLICY
Philanthropy has a critical role to play in supporting the conservation, transformation, and sustainability of community news sources. Our gift acceptance policy is informed by the principles established by the Institute for Nonprofit News and the American Journalism Project. These standards ensure that while we welcome philanthropic support of our efforts, we do not allow it to influence local editorial decisions.
As a policy, the National Trust for Local News welcomes donations that comply with the following guidelines:
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Unrestricted donations of cash or publicly-traded stocks or bonds from individual philanthropists, family foundations, institutional funders, and corporate partners are generally accepted, provided the donor is willing to abide by this policy.
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The National Trust for Local News declines donations from political parties, elected officials, or candidates actively seeking public office.
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The National Trust for Local News will consider restricted donations, if aligned with strategy and priorities.
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The National Trust for Local News will disclose donations of $5,000 or more.
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The National Trust only accepts gifts from donors whose identity can be verified by the leadership and Board. While we seek to minimize donations from individuals and institutions who intend for their giving to remain private, we respect donor privacy where required by grant or gift agreements. The National Trust Board reserves the right to review donor privacy requirements as a condition of accepting the gift.
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The organization’s executive leadership and Board may reject donations from sources that do not align with NTLN’s stated values or whose acceptance would meaningfully damage the reputation of the organization.
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If an existing donor engages in disqualifying behavior or the National Trust for Local News learns about disqualifying behavior in the past, the executive leadership team may notify the donor (and the Board) that further donations are not welcome.
A board of mission-driven leaders
A NOTE ON OUR PHOTOGRAPHY
Each of the stirring and vivid photos that you see in this website was captured by one of the 17 photojournalists who work in National Trust for Local News newsrooms in Maine, Colorado, and Georgia.
