(Photo courtesy of FORJ)
FORJ 2026 Rural and Small-Town Journalism Conference
Speaker Line-Up Released!
July 29-30 in Bend
From Survival to Sustainability:
The Oregon Opportunity
Join us for FORJ’s 4th Annual Journalism conference inviting publishers, editors, reporters, philanthropists, strategists, and academics on July 29 and 30 to the beautiful Central Oregon Community College in Bend, Oregon.
This conference has become the state’s leading independent and emerging journalism convening — uniting the community, providing trainings and offering access to new funding sources and strategies.
This year, we’re pleased to host representatives from Press Forward, Rebuild Local News, Associated Press, the Oregon Legislature and other impactful partners to help shape Oregon’s opportunity to grow and sustain independent journalism statewide.
See Speakers and Register for Conference
Welcome Reception
5-7pm, Wednesday, July 29
Elevation on the COCC campus in Bend
Appetizers and hosted bar
Join fellow publishers, journalists, funders, community members and industry leaders for an evening of conversation and connection before the conference begins.
The reception will feature a first look at findings from the Oregon Independent Publishers Sustainability Report, a statewide assessment commissioned by FORJ and conducted by Adam Davis of NW Opinions. Drawing on publisher surveys, interviews, and FORJ’s Digital Readiness Assessment, the report provides new insights into the opportunities, challenges, and long-term sustainability of Oregon’s independent news organizations. Come away with a deeper understanding of Oregon’s local news landscape — and fresh inspiration for the conversations and collaborations ahead.
Click here to register for the reception.
FORJ 2026 Rural and Small-Town Journalism Conference
8am-4:30pm Thursday, July 30
Central Oregon Community College in Bend
Lunch and light refreshments included
FORJ’s annual conference brings together publishers, journalists, educators, funders, and community leaders from across Oregon to explore solutions for strengthening independent local news in rural and small-town communities. The day begins with a keynote from Charlie Brown, Executive Director of Trust for Civic Life, followed by sessions focused on Emerging Models, Innovative Tools, and Digital Strategies. A lunchtime roundtable, The Future of Local News: Policy, Philanthropy and the Path Forward, will examine the partnerships and investments shaping the future of local journalism. The conference concludes with Who Will Tell the Story? Building Journalism Pathways for Oregon’s Rural and Small-Town Communities, a capstone session highlighting Oregon’s growing workforce development efforts and the collaborative strategies helping build a stronger future for independent local news.
Click here to register for the conference.
Affordable lodging is available at the COCC Residence Hall
Click here to complete a lodging request form
Homelessness:
Real Stories, Real Solutions
Take our quiz and help evaluate community knowledge and perceptions of homelessness
Over the past 18 months, we have shared 31 in-depth stories seeking to dispel myths about homeless community members through FORJ Lab’s Homelessness: Real Stories, Real Solutions series.
Central Oregonians are invited to take a short, anonymous quiz to help us understand what community members learned and whether perceptions have shifted around homelessness since the beginning of the project.
This quick quiz takes about 3 minutes to complete will be open through the end of June. Please take a moment to share your perspectives with us!
Take the Quiz
We Need Your Support
Join FORJ Together Today
FORJ Together is a coalition of Oregon businesses, foundations and individual donors who know that Oregon’s rural communities need journalism to thrive–economically, politically and socially.
