“Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.” (Thomas Jefferson)

We just experienced the midterm elections and witnessed how much communities rely on valid local news sources to advocate for a shared source of truth - compared to partisan social media feeds and national ads that seek to distort and divide.

Simply put, community journalism is vital for civic participation.

But local newsrooms in western Iowa are facing a crisis. In the last 20 years, the substantial rise of social media and digital marketing has significantly lured away both paid subscribers and print advertising dollars. This catastrophic decline in revenue caused many newsrooms to reduce the number of issues printed each week, cut staff or fold operations altogether.

That's why the Western Iowa Journalism Foundation needs your help to ensure the important role community journalism plays in our democracy can continue. Newsrooms operating with smaller staffs are no longer able to provide a depth or breadth of coverage – therefore impacting the industry’s ability to continue its “watchdog” status.

Funding is urgently needed to support local reporting positions that can:

Identify truth
Debunk mis/disinformation
Encourage small government accountability
Nurture transparent communities
Bolster greater civic engagement
Encourage voter turnout
Foster civil debate
Elevate underrepresented rural voices

We're asking your help to fund 10 journalists, at an investment of $50,000 each, to help sustain local newsrooms, build a sense of shared community and restore civility.

To learn more about this fundraising campaign, or to discuss specific ways that you, your foundation or your business can help, please contact WIJF Executive Director Becky Vonnahme at 712.210.4974, or email director@westerniowajournalismfoundation.com.

While gifts may support specific community newsrooms, gifts cannot be used to control editorial decisions in those newsrooms such as what specific topics are selected, how information is reported or what sources are quoted.

Protecting Democracy, Building Community

Partner with us to increase reporting