At its core, journalism is an altruistic pursuit.

If you believe your community and your audiences value the local journalism you do, believe it’s vital to a functioning democracy, and would be devastated if it were gone, it is important to level with them about needing help to get through the economic crisis brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This is why LMA has launched the COVID-19 Local News Fund.

The COVID-19 Local News Fund is a program administered by the Local Media Foundation (LMF), a 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with the Local Media Association. The purpose of the program is to increase coverage of COVID-19 issues in local communities. This allows independent and family-owned news organizations to solicit tax-deductible community donations to support and increase their coverage of the crisis.

All of the payments are managed and distributed by LMF. Participating news outlets are required to report back on how they used the payments to report on COVID-19 issues. In addition to soliciting community funding, the program also facilitates the sharing of information related to covering the pandemic at a local level with more than 200 local news outlets including best practices, important angles to cover, tips for remote reporting, and more.

The COVID-19 Local News Fund enables qualifying independent and family-owned local news outlets to start a community fundraising for coronavirus campaign quickly, providing:

  • customized campaign page(s)
  • a library of turnkey marketing and promotion assets
  • ongoing best practices and sample success from across local media
  • dedicated support from the LMA team
  • all technology setup

Learn more about the COVID-19 Local News Fund below.

Click here to see answers to frequently asked questions

FAQs about the COVID-19 Local News Fund

Ready to get started? Fill out this form to initiate the setup of your COVID-19 Local News Fund. (This is not a commitment to participate, but we’ll reach out with instructions and next steps.)

Sign up to participate COVID-19 Local News Fund program

Need more details and have an hour to spare? This recorded webinar provides detailed information and a Q&A.

Webinar about the COVID-19 Local News Fund

Click here for tips on a successful fundraising appeal

Wondering who is participating? Click here for a list of participants.

Have questions or need more information? Send us an email: covidfund@localmedia.org