Our Grantmaking
What We Fund
We invest in local news organizations across Central Appalachia that strengthen community information systems, enhance access to trusted local reporting, and build sustainable models for journalism in underserved communities.
Our multi-year funding model combines direct grant support, one-on-one coaching, and peer learning opportunities with flexible, repayable capital to support revenue diversification and advance long-term sustainability.
The Fund combines flexible grantmaking, business capacity support, peer learning, and repayable capital to help rural news organizations strengthen operations, diversify revenue, and build toward long-term financial sustainability. Participating organizations receive one-on-one coaching from experienced industry advisors alongside opportunities for collaboration and shared learning with peers across Appalachia.
Our first round of funding through the RNF was oriented toward disaster response. In the immediate aftermath of severe flooding caused by Hurricane Helene, many of our partner newsrooms lacked the capacity to send reporters into the field to cover life-saving information. To address this gap, AFN deployed $10,000 mini-grants rapidly, strengthening disaster communications capacity and ensuring local news could continue serving as a critical mechanism for civic engagement during a crisis.
To date, we've committed over $2M USD to help ensure Central Appalachians have increased access to the trustworthy, local information and news they deserve.
AWARDEE COHORT
Rural News Fund Awardee Cohort
The Rural News Fund launched its first multi-year cohort in 2026. Awardees reflect a mix of public media, nonprofit, and community-based outlets that work to strengthen local information systems. The first cohort includes:
Allegheny Mountain Radio
Community / Public Radio Network (Nonprofit Cooperative)A listener-supported community radio network providing local news, music, and public affairs programming. It serves some of the most rural and geographically isolated communities in Appalachia, including areas in the National Radio Quiet Zone.
Visit site →Appalachia + Midsouth Newsroom
Public Media Journalism CollaborationA regional newsroom collaboration among NPR member stations designed to strengthen local reporting across Appalachia and the Mid-South and distribute stories across multiple states and platforms.
Visit site →Appalshop
Arts, Media, and Cultural NonprofitA long-standing Appalachian cultural media organization producing films, radio (WMMT), documentaries, and community storytelling projects focused on regional voices, labor, environment, and cultural life.
Visit site →Black by God
Independent Digital Newsroom / Storytelling OutletA Black-led news organization centering Black Appalachian experiences, reporting on civic life, culture, policy, and community issues while expanding representation in regional media narratives.
Visit site →Enlace Latino
Bilingual / Spanish-Language News OrganizationA bilingual newsroom providing news, resources, and community information for Latino populations in North Carolina, including rural and underserved Appalachian communities.
Visit site →Mountain Top Media
Local Media CompanyA regional network of local newspapers focused on sustaining rural journalism, local government reporting, and community news coverage across Eastern Kentucky.
Visit site →Southeast Ohio Independent News
Independent Nonprofit NewsroomA local independent newsroom focused on civic accountability, local government reporting, and community-centered journalism in Southeast Ohio's Appalachian region.
Visit site →West Virginia Public Broadcasting
Public Media OrganizationWest Virginia's statewide public media network producing news, cultural programming, and investigative reporting.
Visit site →GET INVOLVED
Want to help support our work? Consider joining our Contributing Partners.