Programs that deliver progress

The California Propel Local News Initiative

California’s local news industry is in crisis, with a quarter of the State’s news publications disappearing between 2004 and 2019. Many California counties now have a single local news source (or none at all), leaving communities vulnerable to disinformation.

To combat this, California has pioneered two initiatives, the California Local News Fellowship and the Callifornia Propel Local News Initiative, to strengthen local journalism by placing early-career reporters and editors in newsrooms for two year fellowships and training newsroom leaders to fortify a sustainable, diverse news ecosystem. Together, these programs will support 100 newsrooms annually.

Since launching in 2023, the California Local News Fellowship program has placed more than 75 journalists in full-time public service reporting roles in newsrooms throughout the State. The first group of fellows produced nearly 4,000 stories in their first year alone.

The California Propel Local News Initiative is an effort to strengthen California’s multi-lingual media ecosystem, ensuring long-term sustainability of local public service journalism for underserved localities.

The Propel Initiative will distribute grants, provide training and build infrastructure to help smaller outlets grow and better serve California’s diverse communities.

Led by the Maynard Institute in partnership with American Community Media, California Black Media and Latino Media Collaborative, Propel provides resources to augment business models, connect with audiences and build robust newsrooms that will ensure a healthy democracy for California.

For Organizations

Newsrooms hold the profound responsibility of shaping how society understands itself.

Yet deep public distrust in journalism today reflects the industry’s historical blind spots in wielding that responsibility.

For nearly 50 years, the Maynard Institute has helped newsrooms do the work necessary to create journalism that is more accurate, reflective, and inclusive of the communities they serve.

Our fellowships and training programs equip journalists and news organizations with the tools to reimagine coverage, sourcing, audience engagement, hiring, and retention—while fostering a culture of belonging.

The result? A stronger foundation for trust between journalists and the people they seek to serve.

For Individuals

The Maynard Institute reinvigorates the pipeline of journalists of color and those from diverse backgrounds into America’s newsrooms. Our work helps grow a more representative, inclusive media landscape.Since our founding in 1977, our professional development programs have been open to all. Distinguished media professionals and experts guide our participants with vital resources and mentorship.

Graduates of our training program emerge as bold storytellers, editors, entrepreneurs, and journalism leaders.