The Riverside Record is one of 205 small, local news outlets, receiving a share of close to $20 million to close persistent coverage gaps, thanks to funding from Press Forward, the nationwide movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news.
The grant, which will provide The Record with $100,000 in funding over a two-year period, sought to support small news outlets providing hyperlocal, original reporting that people need to make informed decisions.
“When I launched The Riverside Record in the fall of 2022, I did so with a goal of providing high-quality, local news content that would help people become more active in their communities,” Publisher Alicia Ramirez said. “In that time, I have reported on countless public meetings, local elections, community events and some of the biggest issues facing Riverside County residents, and for the value of that work to be recognized by Press Forward with this funding is an indescribable feeling.”
Press Forward is a national movement to strengthen our democracy by revitalizing local news and information through $500 million from a coalition of funders that seeks to strengthen local newsrooms, close longstanding gaps in journalism coverage, advance public policy that expands access to local news, and to scale the infrastructure the sector needs to thrive.
With more than 900 applications for this first open call, the Press Forward team decided that instead of funding roughly 100 newsrooms, it would double its impact due to the “extraordinary quality” of the proposals.
“These newsrooms are proof that we are seeing a moment of transformation, where new and longstanding [outlets] are stepping up to create a new story for local news,” Dale R. Anglin, Press Forward director, said in a news release announcing the grants. “Each newsroom plays a vital public service role in its community – providing trustworthy local news and information in places where no other sources may exist. Independent newsrooms need community support to survive. We hope that more people will subscribe and donate to them.”
The grantee cohort includes newer nonprofits and enduring for-profit organizations that have continued to adapt and innovate after a century in business. Some of these newsrooms cover the vast American countryside, while others focus on specific communities that have been largely overlooked by traditional news sources.
Of the 205 grantees, 18 are located here in California, with two that specifically focus on the Inland Empire region — The Record and Black Voice News.
“I’m honored and humbled to be part of this cohort of incredible independent, non-partisan news sources that are reimagining what local news can be across the U.S.,” Ramirez said. “And I hope that you will continue to read and support The Record as we continue to grow.”
To learn more about Press Forward, visit PressForward.News.
The Riverside Record is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news outlet providing Riverside County with high-quality journalism free of charge. We’re able to do this because of the generous donations of supporters like you!
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