By the numbers
- 350+ applications
- 78% BIPOC-led
- 14 investments
- 7 states
Investments
Our democracy is under assault by a robust and organized network of media outlets and influencers who intentionally distort reality and misinform Americans. NMV’s V4D open call directly counters that threat by building up transformative local media in battleground states where democracy is most at-risk: Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas. These 14 incredible outlets are trusted messengers meeting their communities where they are and with messages that deeply resonate with their followers. They are the new voices of democracy helping to usher in a new era of community-based media.
Protecting democracy in this climate requires investing in media properties delivering cultural value and fact-based news.
Learn more about our Voices for Democracy Open Call
Backbone Digital Leaders
Backbone Digital Leaders is an agency founded by unbossed black women who are focused on driving revolutionary change through digital means. They utilize their expertise as digital organizers and strategists to propel movements forward. Backbone leads these movements by employing digital methods to address impactful and high-stakes campaigns and causes nationwide.
Twitter Account (opens in a new window) Learn more (opens in a new window)Founder and Chief Good Troublemaker: Jess Moore Matthews
Back to investmentsWe’re ecstatic to expand our work of spearheading a revolution at the ballot box and beyond by expanding our digital accessibility trainings and resources ahead of critical 2024 elections.— Jess Moore Matthews
Black Miami-Dade
Black Miami-Dade resists the erasure of Miami's Black past through narrative disruption. A history and storytelling platform, Black Miami-Dade gives Miami's Black history back to the community in a state that seeks to bury and erase these stories.
Founder: Nadege Green
Back to investmentsThis investment from New Media Ventures comes at a crucial time when Black history is being censored and whitewashed on a state and national level—we insist on telling and teaching the truth with a hyper local lens on Black History.— Nadege Green
“The space for media investment has never been more ripe for those who understand the value of people-power.”
Read more from NMV's President, Carlissia Graham
Canopy Atlanta
Canopy Atlanta is a community journalism nonprofit founded in 2020 that chooses, reports, and shares stories with Atlantans, redefining who journalism is by and for. Their mission is to provide news and information that meets the needs of all metro Atlantans and helps them make a positive impact in their communities.
Instagram Account (opens in a new window) Learn more (opens in a new window)Co-founders: Floyd Hall, Kamille Whittaker, and Mariann Martin
Back to investmentsIt’s so encouraging to receive this funding support as a way to validate our ethos of creating journalism by centering local communities and the people in those spaces.— Floyd Hall
Conecta Arizona
Conecta Arizona is a forward-thinking nonprofit news organization dedicated to serving the diverse community in the U.S.-Mexico border. Their service journalism is centered around the Hispanic, migrant, and border communities, prioritizing active audience engagement and providing valuable resources for their daily lives and overall growth, both individually and as a collective.
Twitter Account (opens in a new window) Learn more (opens in a new window)Founder: Maritza Félix
Back to investmentsThe funding we will receive is a lifeline to grow our capacity to serve Spanish-speaking audiences in a border community that has been ignored, underserved, and taken for granted for so long.— Maritza Félix
Dirtroad Organizing
Dirtroad Organizing provides concrete tools and strategies to support organizers, staff, legislators, and aspiring leaders working towards an equitable and just democracy in rural America. They’re working on a narrative and storytelling project in North Carolina that counteracts prejudices and inspires progressives to do grassroots organizing in rural communities.
Instagram Account (opens in a new window) Learn more (opens in a new window)Co-Directors: Chloe Maxmin and Canyon Woodward
Back to investmentsWe know that none of this can be done in silos or alone. That’s why NMV’s collaborative network is vital to supporting one another and showing that we can truly make change. As we say in our work: we’re better together.— Canyon Woodward and Chloe Maxmin
NMV’s stellar track record in investing in and scaling progressive national media companies is just the lens we need to apply to protecting local media.
Learn more about our portfolio companies.
Impacto
Impacto is a Spanish-language community newspaper based in North Philadelphia's Hunting Park neighborhood. Its mission is to empower the local community by addressing information access gaps and amplifying historically marginalized voices.
President & CEO of Esperanza (nonprofit organization which owns and operates Impacto): Rev. Luis Cortes, Jr.
Back to investmentsSupport from NMV will enable Impacto to add more community voices to the paper and expand our digital reach to engage a new generation of readers.— Rev. Luis Cortes, Jr.
Make the Road Action Nevada
Make The Road Action Nevada (MRA-NV) is an organization that focuses on building political power within working-class Latinx communities. They advocate for policy solutions that benefit all working-class and low-income individuals, and leverage their partnerships with major Spanish language traditional media and social media influencers to convey accurate, timely information to Spanish speaking communities.
State Director of Make the Road Action Nevada: Leo Murrieta
Back to investmentsWith this support, we ensure that the narrative is centered in the voices of those most impacted. Together, we work towards advancing progressive political and policy change, creating social change, and making a lasting impact in the communities that need it most.— Leo Murrieta
Miami Freedom Project
Miami Freedom Project is transforming South Florida’s political culture through outreach, movement building, and communication strategies while boldly advocating for climate, economic, health, housing, immigrant, and racial justice. By identifying the next generation of Latine intellectual, cultural and spiritual leaders willing to change the narrative of what it means to be progressive in Miami, we are creating an enduring, community-driven power base in South Florida ready to speak up, knock on doors, and support each other's initiatives for positive change.
Instagram Account (opens in a new window) Learn more (opens in a new window)Executive Director: Ana Sofía Peláez
Back to investmentsWe’re thrilled to take part in a Voices for Democracy’s inaugural cohort and connect with organizers who understand the need for long term and committed narrative change that resonates with the diverse communities we serve because it starts with them.— Ana Sofía Peláez
OutSmart Foundation for Community Media
OutSmart’s mission is to amplify the voices of the LGBTQ+ community through community media. They believe in the transformative power of fact-based journalism and the captivating narratives that come from vibrant communities. Their stories reach and resonate with individuals, fostering genuine acknowledgment and understanding.
Publisher: Greg Jeu
Back to investmentsThis partnership transcends mere financial assistance; it is also a heartfelt message to the LGBTQ+ community, affirming the value of their stories and experiences we chronicle in OutSmart magazine.— Greg Jeu
Innovation in the political sector can take years to scale. That's why investing early is key.
Read about how our past investments paid off in the 2020 election
Protect the Sacred
Protect the Sacred educates and empowers the next generation of Native leaders and allies to use transformative storytelling and community building to strengthen Indigenous sovereignty and protect Indigenous elders, languages, and medicine ways.
Director: Allie Redhorse Young
Back to investmentsFunding from NMV will support our transformative storytelling work and content creation that uplifts Indigenous storytelling and representation, and ultimately strengthens Indigenous sovereignty and cultures.— Allie Redhorse Young
Refugee Community Partnership
Refugee Community Partnership is a grassroots organization using community-led design to disrupt threats to the health and safety of refugee and migrant communities, creating systems that connect people to the resources they need while mobilizing institutions to eliminate barriers to access. RCP interprets everything from emerging public health guidance to announcements of new community services to school closures to impending natural disasters into shareable media, sent directly to users in their primary language and on platforms they already use like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
Instagram Account (opens in a new window) Learn more (opens in a new window)Co-Executive Directors: Daniella Runyambo, Katherine W, Meagan Clawar and Madison Hayes
Back to investmentsHaving a culture-first outlook, which is what makes grassroots organizing so effective, means solutions center around the ways individuals navigate their daily lives, their relationships to their community’s ecosystems including the particularities of how barriers arise.— Madison Hayes
The Austin Common
The Austin Common is a community-based news media site and civic education organization in Austin, TX. They aim to make local government accessible, fun, and easy to understand by using art and social media to explain the news.
Instagram Account (opens in a new window) Learn more (opens in a new window)Editor-In-Chief: Amy Stansbury
Back to investmentsDuring a time when local news is struggling across the country and people feel disengaged, anxious, and depressed about politics, The Austin Common is proud to shine a light on the many ways young people can make a positive difference in their communities.— Amy Stansbury
Triad City Beat
Triad City Beat is a well-respected independent newspaper and media outlet based out of North Carolina, with its primary focus on covering the vibrant and dynamic communities in the Piedmont Triad region.
Publisher: Brian Clarey
Back to investmentsAs we approach 10 years, NMV is helping Triad City Beat redefine the paper for a new era in journalism and in history.— Brian Clarey
Trucha
Trucha is a unique and independent multimedia organization that focuses on the people, culture, and social movements of the Rio Grande Valley. They are dedicated to creating and curating community journalism, videography, and creative and cultural programming in order to tell a more complete and comprehensive story about the region.
Managing Director and Program Director: Josue Ramirez and Omar A. Casas
Back to investmentsThanks to the funding received from NMV, Trucha will be able to expand it’s journalism team, furthering our efforts in giving our region a voice and a platform to tell it’s own stories.— Omar A. Casas
“If we don’t both understand this new media landscape and invest in pro-democracy messengers and outlets, there is a very real threat of losing key pillars of our democracy and our democratic institutions.”
- Jessica Salinas, New Media Ventures, Chief Investment Officer
NMV Investment Team
We have evaluated thousands of startups over the last decade, giving us a unique perspective on drivers of success in the field. We’re looking for the right mix of vision, persistence, and execution ability.
Investment Committee
Apply for Funding
We host open investment processes for early-stage startups seeking funding via our Innovation Fund. The most successful applications are beyond the idea phase. We have a simple set of criteria for those we fund.
Learn MoreInvest with Us
We have many ways for investors to get involved. We’d love to hear from you.
Contact Us (opens in a new window)