A new report maps where local philanthropy is available to support local journalism, where it’s not, and where it’s desperately needed. This should help advance the conversation of what must be done to save local news and improve local news philanthropy in the United States.

News outlets increasingly rely on donations to support their journalism. But philanthropy can’t fill all the gaps and, as the new report finds, its distribution and availability is uneven.

The report, “Philanthropy and Local News: Mapping Capacity, Gaps and Opportunities,” was produced by Jessica Mahone and Yanan Sun at the University of North Carolina’s Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media.

It’s useful but has some shortcomings. The authors focus on local philanthropies and exclude national ones that are the biggest funders of journalism, including leaders of the $500 million Press Forward campaign launched in 2023.

Mahone, the center’s interim director, said that was deliberate because national philanthropies are well known. What’s missing is better data on what’s available and needed regionally.

“If the idea is that the funding for local news needs to be more local, we should understand that,” she said in a phone interview about local news philanthropy.

The report may also help national funders direct more support to places where the local journalism situation is dire and local news philanthropy is sparse, she added.

News organizations can’t expect donations to save a failing business.

But philanthropy should be one leg of the stool supporting them, along with sustainable business practices and legislation to support the industry, according to Heidi Wright, executive director of the Independent Newspaper Group trade organization.

“Philanthropy needs to be a little bit of it,” Wright said.

As the UNC report shows, it would also help if more of the charity went to news outlets in places where it’s most needed.

Read the full article about local news philanthropy by Brier Dudley at Seattle Times.