To strengthen local news organizations that bring quality information to their communities, the reputable venture philanthropy organization American Journalism Project (AJP) has awarded Enlace Latino NC a $1 million grant.
The three-year investment is meant to support Enlace Latino NC’s long-term sustainability. As AJP explains, these investments “will give these organizations funding and strategic support to significantly grow their revenue as they expand their organizations into local communities”.
Enlace Latino NC joins a portfolio of 36 news organizations that have received funding from AJP, which has committed more than $40 million in grants since 2019. Enlace Latino NC is one of three new grants in 2023: Fort Worth Report and Nebraska Journalism Trust will also join this cohort of nonprofit journalism organizations working to solve the local news crisis and strengthen their communities.
In the words of Sarabeth Berman, CEO of the American Journalism Project, “each of these organizations is working to close news and information gaps to bolster their community and, in turn, help democracy thrive.”
AJP’s official announcement highlights Enlace Latino NC as “the state’s first Spanish language nonprofit newsroom, which has been recognized for its innovative strategies for reaching new audiences, including a thriving WhatsApp community, a podcast, and a newsletter launched in response to the information needs of the seasonal farmworker.”
The grant will be essential to creating a robust infrastructure to support development and productivity, explains Paola Jaramillo, Enlace Latino NC’s co-founder and Executive Director.
“This support comes at a key moment, one that will help us transform our growth as North Carolina’s first nonprofit, digital and independent news organization in Spanish. This fundamental investment will help us strengthen our development strategy and become more sustainable, " states Jaramillo.
For Walter Gómez, co-founder and Managing Editor of Enlace Latino NC, the investment will directly impact North Carolina’s Latino community.
“AJP’s support will allow us to expand our coverage to rural areas of the state while deepening our journalism in urban areas. In other words, it will contribute to more members of our community having access to information that affects them (about politics, immigration and more) through reliable, quality information in their native language”, expressed Gómez.
Proud of the accomplishments to date, Jaramillo is grateful to AJP, other organizations that have funded the newsroom, the team, and Enlace Latino NC’s community of readers.
“The growth that Enlace Latino NC is experiencing results from four years of hard work, learning, and a commitment to our community. But we haven’t made it here on our own. We have an incredible team that shares our mission and goals; we have the support of volunteers, allied organizations and community members, and a number of local and national foundations that have supported us throughout this time. And, of course, our readers: we work to serve them. None of this would make sense without them. Every step we take forward, such as this grant from the AJP, reminds us of our great responsibility towards them: to bring them reliable information in their native language about the topics that affect them most. It’s simple, yet complex”, concludes Jaramillo.
Visit the AJP Enlace Latino NC landing page in English Here.
Read the AJP press release here