The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation has awarded the Collaborative a $25,000 grant for strategic planning and capacity building.
The Granite State News Collaborative breaks down barriers of competition among news outlets in favor of collaboration, the NHCF said in its announcement. The collaborative formed in response to the hollowing out of the traditional news-gathering industry and share reporting duties and content across its 16 member media outlets. Since 2001, approximately 60 percent of newspaper jobs in New Hampshire have disappeared.
"Local support is going to be key to our long term sustainability as a collaborative,” said GSNC Director Melanie Plenda. “We are so grateful that NHCF sees that and is willing to show their support for what we are doing. The funds from NHCF will allow us to the do the planning necessary to make sure we are able to remain a resource to the communities we serve and the journalists in the state for years to come."
A Charitable Foundation grant for core mission support will help the collaborative as it launches its first statewide reporting project on behavioral health and expands its member base. The funding will also help pay for leadership training for Plenda and steering committee members.
The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation is a statewide community foundation, founded in 1962 by and for the people of New Hampshire. The Foundation manages a growing collection of 1,900 funds created by generous individuals, families and businesses, and awards more than $40 million in grants and scholarships every year. For more information, visit www.nhcf.org or call 603-225-6641.
For more information on GSN, contact Melanie Plenda at Melanie.Plenda@collaborativenh.org.