Reflections on 2024 and our commitments to you in 2025
Dear friends,
This year reminded us of the essential role local news and community organizations play in keeping North Carolina informed, connected, and prepared. When a catastrophic hurricane swept through our state, they provided lifesaving updates. During high-stakes national, state, and local elections, they guided voters through critical decisions. And in quieter moments, they continued the steady work of strengthening our communities—sharing stories, addressing information gaps, and building trust.
2024 demonstrated, time and again, that truth can be the difference between safety and danger. Access to reliable, relevant information can bridge the gap between disconnection and belonging. One thing is clear: locally relevant information and the organizations that deliver it are the backbone of a resilient North Carolina. This past year, we learned a great deal about how to reinforce and expand the interconnected system of organizations that tell the whole story of North Carolina.
Our Growing Investment and Impact in 2024
In 2024, we invested $1.16 million in 41 organizations—a growing statewide network that works to ensure everyone can find, trust, and use the information we need to thrive. This year, our partners:
Fostered election navigation. You Can Vote’s volunteer trainings and mobilization work helped keep North Carolinians up-to-date about voter eligibility, registration requirements, what to bring to the polls, and more. Local newsrooms, including Triad City Beat in the Triad and WFAE in Charlotte, also reported on the lead-up and final outcomes of the 2024 elections, helping their readers and listeners understand the democratic process and where we go from here.
Responded quickly during crises. The NC Local News Workshop supported fellow grant partners Blue Ridge Public Radio and Enlace Latino NC with the creation of text-only news sites, which loaded faster for people in Western North Carolina impacted by power outages and limited internet access.
Expanded the reach of essential news and information. Down in the County on the coast, Davidson Local in central NC, and Smoky Mountain News in Western NC continue to fill information gaps in counties where there are fewer local newsrooms and community organizations.
Our grant partners are at work in more than 60 of North Carolina’s 100 counties.
This year, the Fund also continued our shared learning with funders at the local, state, and national levels. We became the home of Press Forward North Carolina and Press Forward Charlotte, joining the national network of Press Forward local chapters. We convened our partners before and after the election, and we directed resources to trusted news and community organizations covering Hurricane Helene. And, a promising sign of growth to come, we saw our own funding coalition double in size, including investments from those who are new to journalism philanthropy.
It’s not only our coalition of grant partners and funders that grew in 2024: our team did too. The Fund’s leaps forward this year would not have been possible without Jagmeet Singh Mac, who we welcomed last December as the Fund’s Associate Director. He ensures our grant partners receive the support they need during grant cycles and beyond. Jagmeet is an invaluable member of our team—a trusted thought partner, a steady source of insight, and a champion for the Fund’s mission. Together, we’re ready to build on this year’s progress.
Our Commitment to You in 2025
As we turn the page on 2024, the challenges and opportunities ahead are not all fully known—but through uncertainty, our focus remains clear. We are committed to putting more dollars to work across North Carolina to help more of us find and use verified information we trust, while ensuring our grantmaking is as expansive, accessible, and equitable as possible.
Trusted information—communicated by and for the people who live here—is both a lifeline in crisis and a foundation for strong communities. We will continue funding and championing community-centered news and organizations, creating a collective narrative of innovation, strength, and solutions.
Stay connected to the Fund’s updates and announcements by subscribing to our newsletter and following us on LinkedIn. In the new year, we’ll share more about upcoming funding opportunities, our growing team, and the path ahead. My door is open, whether for hearing your ideas, answering your questions, or exploring ways to work together.
Building a stronger news and information ecosystem takes time, but it has never been more important. We’re glad to have you and others with us for the journey that our vision invites us to take together
Onward,
Lizzy Hazeltine
Director
North Carolina Local News Lab Fund