Press Forward Indiana Invites Funders to Join the Movement

Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, Lumina Foundation, and Glick Philanthropies invite philanthropic organizations and individuals to join Press Forward Indiana, a newly designated Local Chapter of the national Press Forward movement.

This group is open to all funders. You do not need to be an IPA member to join. If you’ve invested in local news, are looking for support in this work, or are curious about its intersection with your mission, this is an opportunity to:

• Learn alongside peers tackling similar challenges
• Access national resources and funding models
• Align efforts to strengthen Indiana’s local news ecosystem

To join or to request more information, contact Lissa Silotto at lsilotto@inphilanthropy.org.

About Press Forward Indiana

Why Local News Matters to Philanthropy

Local news is essential community infrastructure and serves the public good. Like sidewalks or libraries, it helps people find services, understand public decisions, and stay connected to their neighbors.

This infrastructure is breaking down. Since 2005, thousands of newspapers have closed. In Indiana, 57 percent of counties are served by only one outlet, and six rural counties have none at all.

When local news disappears, communities lose trust, civic engagement declines, and misinformation spreads. According to research, Hoosiers say they feel misrepresented and under-informed. They want practical news that helps solve problems and brings people together.

Supporting local news helps every philanthropic mission succeed. Whether your focus is health, education, environment, arts, housing, economic development, or rural life, reliable local information is a powerful tool to strengthen Indiana communities.

A Statewide Response Takes Root

With leadership from Indiana Philanthropy Alliance, Lumina Foundation, and Glick Philanthropies, Press Forward Indiana was formed as a statewide response to this growing need. It is one of three newly designated Local Chapters in the state, alongside:

• Press Forward Lake County led by Legacy Foundation
• Press Forward Bloomington and Monroe County led by Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County

These chapters join over 40 Local Chapters nationwide, all committed to creating region-specific, funder-led solutions that revitalize local information systems.

Our Vision and What’s Ahead

Our shared vision is to help Indiana funders see local news as a public good and to grow a network where we can share learnings, co-invest, and build community around a common goal: putting trusted information into the hands of every Hoosier.

In the coming months, Press Forward Indiana will:

• Hire a lead consultant to coordinate strategy and operations (share our RFP)
• Host regular convenings of funders and news leaders
• Share national tools, models, and success stories
• Align with our sister chapters to share data, research, and community voice

How You Can Get Involved

We invite funders across Indiana to join this work. Together, we can help shape a coordinated approach to supporting local news and information across the state.

Contact Lissa Silotto at lsilotto@inphilanthropy.org to join or to request more information.