October 20, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Funding for 13 organizations supports community reporting, multilingual journalism, newsroom sustainability, and expanded access to trusted local information.
October 20, 2026 – Press Forward New Jersey (PFNJ), housed at the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium (NJCIC), today announced $570,000 in grants to 13 organizations working to strengthen local news and civic information across South Jersey.
The awards build on PFNJ’s inaugural South Jersey funding round, which awarded $345,000 to seven organizations. Together, the two rounds represent $915,000 in investments to expand access to reliable, community-centered news and information throughout the region.
Administered in partnership with the Community Foundation of South Jersey and made possible through support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the initiative prioritizes communities experiencing significant gaps in local news coverage, particularly historically underserved and marginalized populations.
Across South Jersey, local news organizations and community information providers are working to fill critical information needs despite limited resources. These challenges can leave residents without consistent access to reporting on local government, education, public health, housing, and other issues that directly affect their lives.
The latest investments aim to address these challenges by supporting newsroom staffing, expanding reporting capacity, strengthening multilingual journalism, improving technology and infrastructure, and helping community-based news organizations build sustainable operations.
“Access to reliable local information is essential to strong, informed communities,” said Lisa A. Sahulka, Executive Director of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium. “These investments recognize the important work already happening across South Jersey while providing organizations with the resources they need to grow, innovate, and reach more residents. We’re not only investing in journalism being produced today, but in the infrastructure that will sustain trusted local news and information for years to come.”
— Lisa A. Sahulka, Executive Director of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium
The 13 grants support a range of initiatives, from expanding hyperlocal reporting and multilingual coverage to developing new community information platforms and strengthening the long-term sustainability of local news providers.
AMERICANO ($50,000) – To expand local news coverage for Hispanic communities in Camden and Ocean counties by hiring two dedicated reporters and developing county-specific digital platforms, strengthening community representation and access to trusted information.
Atlantic City Focus ($35,000) – To support staff compensation, primary election coverage, and reporting on health and wellness issues affecting Atlantic City communities.
Comité de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agrícolas (CATA) ($40,000) – To support the production of Sí Se Puede, Spanish-language programming covering workers’ rights, immigration, workplace safety, food justice, and other issues relevant to communities in Bridgeton and Salem.
Front Runner New Jersey ($40,000) – To support local, business, and political reporting, community storytelling, and bilingual journalism serving Black, Latino, and historically marginalized communities across South Jersey.
Hammonton Gazette ($45,000) – To continue expanding editorial coverage into Vineland, strengthening access to local reporting for residents in the surrounding region.
In the Wake TV ($25,000) – To launch the Willingboro Hyperlocal Stream: Narrative Equity Launch, a local broadcast initiative expanding access to community news and civic information through investments in broadcasting infrastructure, production equipment, staffing, and outreach.
Movimiento Tricolor ($50,000) – To launch Voces de Camden, a bilingual community information initiative serving Camden County’s Latino community through staffing, training, technology, outreach, and newsroom partnerships.
New Jersey Urban News ($50,000) – To support original reporting in Camden on health equity, housing, education, economic opportunity, local government, and public policy.
Pine Barrens Tribune ($50,000) – To strengthen organizational capacity and long-term sustainability through expanded reporting and digital staffing, upgraded technology and equipment, and improved editorial and management systems.
The New Town Press ($30,000) – To support newspaper printing costs and sustain access to local news in rural communities, including Swedesboro, Woolwich Township, Logan Township, East Greenwich Township, Auburn, South Harrison Township, and parts of Mullica Hill.
The News of Salem County ($50,000) – To strengthen long-term sustainability through expanded local reporting, leadership support, and operational improvements, ensuring continued access to free, hyperlocal news.
The Woodbury Warbler ($55,000) – To strengthen long-term sustainability through dedicated publisher capacity, expanded local reporting and civic information resources, and the development of sustainable revenue and community engagement infrastructure.
Willingboro Community Development Corporation ($50,000) – To establish a multimedia news platform in Willingboro through dedicated staffing, community reporting, digital infrastructure, and production capacity, expanding access to local news and civic information.
The 2026 awards reflect the range of approaches needed to strengthen South Jersey’s local news and information ecosystem.
Several investments focus on expanding reporting for communities historically underserved by traditional news outlets. Organizations including Movimiento Tricolor, AMERICANO, CATA, and Front Runner New Jersey are developing or sustaining multilingual and community-centered information resources.
Other grants support the infrastructure required to sustain local journalism. Funding for organizations such as The Woodbury Warbler, Pine Barrens Tribune, and The News of Salem County will strengthen newsroom operations, reporting capacity, and long-term sustainability.
Investments in Willingboro Community Development Corporation and In the Wake TV will support the development of multimedia and broadcasting platforms to connect residents with news and information specific to their communities.
Together, these projects demonstrate how investments in local journalism can address immediate information needs while building a more resilient and inclusive civic information ecosystem.
With this latest round of funding, Press Forward New Jersey continues its commitment to supporting community-rooted approaches to local journalism and ensuring that more New Jersey residents have access to the information they need to participate fully in civic life.
For more information about Press Forward New Jersey and its grantmaking initiatives, visit njcivicinfo.org/press-forward-nj.
Press Forward New Jersey, a local chapter of the national Press Forward movement, is a collaboration of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium and the Community Foundation of New Jersey to encourage the New Jersey philanthropic community to support local news and civic engagement, ensuring that every community in New Jersey has access to critical information and a vibrant media ecosystem.
Press Forward is a national movement to strengthen our democracy by revitalizing local news and information. A coalition of funders is investing more than $500 million over five years to strengthen local newsrooms, close longstanding gaps in journalism coverage, advance public policy that expands access to local news, and scale the infrastructure the sector needs to thrive. For more, visit pressforward.news.
Madi McCool
Grants & Communications Manager
New Jersey Civic Information Consortium
madi@njcivicinfo.org
Download a PDF copy of the full press release for your records or to share with colleagues.
Download PDFThe New Jersey Civic Information Consortium works to strengthen local journalism and civic information across the state.