The Fund for Oregon Rural Journalism announced recently it has received a $40,000 grant from The Roundhouse Foundation to support rural journalism across Oregon.
The grant enables the FORJournalism Resource Center to supply urgently needed support to rural newspapers on the razor’s edge of financial stability. Nearly one-third of Oregon’s rural newspapers have closed, with more than 68 percent of incorporated cities in the state now lacking a local journalism outlet. There are now two news deserts in Oregon, where regions of more than 100 square miles have no journalism outlet of any kind.
“This grant gives FORJ the essential funding to help stabilize rural news publications,” said Jody Lawrence-Turner, FORJ executive director. “Partners like The Roundhouse Foundation are making critical investments to bring the Resource Center to life and ensure we keep journalism thriving in Oregon for decades to come.”
The Roundhouse Foundation’s grant enables FORJ to grow the FORJournalism Resource Center from its previous role as a resource hotline to a more robust operational program, making it the second strategic program solidly launched by FORJ since the organization was founded in 2021.
FORJ also operates Future Journalists of America, which trains new young journalists from rural Oregon communities to become the next generation of reporters and editors. FORJ trademarked the program in 2023.
With this new funding from The Roundhouse Foundation, the FORJournalism Resource Center will expand to work with existing news publishers on many strategies for stabilizing and sustaining journalism publications, including:
- Digital transformations
- Developing additional revenue streams
- Grants research
- Local collaborations
- Training for journalists
“In rural spaces, local news outlets ensure community members are part of the storytelling, and they ensure that the voices of the community are not merely written about or reported on from afar,” said Erin Borla, executive director of The Roundhouse Foundation. “Access to balanced news, told by and for locals, is critical for any community—it brings access to information and economic vitality. We are supporting the FORJournalism Resource Center because we want rural Oregon news outlets—and rural Oregonians—to thrive.”
FORJ is working to raise additional funds to expand FORJournalism Resource Center to create a sustainable journalism business life-cycle in Oregon, including a business operations toolbox, attracting the next “first generation” owners, succession planning and facilitating community engagement. Learn more about FORJournalism Resource Center here.
With this grant, The Roundhouse Foundation becomes a member of FORJ Together, a new statewide partnership of businesses and foundations that will help to secure additional funding for FORJ’s groundbreaking work through the Resource Center. FORJ is now actively working to expand the FORJ Together partnership. To learn more visit our website.
About The Roundhouse Foundation:
The Roundhouse Foundation is a private family foundation based in Sisters, Oregon that supports creative solutions to the unique challenges associated with rural culture and the landscapes of the Pacific Northwest.
About FORJ:
FORJ was created to stem the tide of the decline of journalism in Oregon by providing tangible resources, training and tools that local publications need to thrive. FORJ is on the leading edge of journalism advocacy in America, providing tangible and innovative solutions that work.
forjournalism.org • RoundhouseFoundation.org • 541-904-0700
