The Pivot Fund Pod

Hosted by The Pivot Fund

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Mar 2026

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The Pivot Fund holds conversations that disrupt journalism and philanthropy. These conversations center on BIPOC-led community news organizations and how they're funded, developed and trained.

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25 recent

March 23, 2026Episode 2558 min

Local News Day Is a Visibility Opportunity Hyperlocal Newsrooms Can’t Miss

In this episode, Tracie Powell speaks with John Adams, founder of Local News Day and Montana Free Press, about a new national effort to reconnect communities with trusted local news.They discuss the growing gap between trust and visibility in local journalism, why hyperlocal outlets — especially those serving underrepresented communities — are often overlooked, and how Local News Day aims to bring them into the spotlight.The conversation explores how the initiative works, what success looks like, and why audience engagement is key to sustaining local news.Plus, Adams shares powerful examples of how local reporting helps communities understand the real-life impact of national issues.

January 6, 2026Episode 2458 min

Building Leadership that Reflects Community: MLK50’s Co-Executive Directors on Shared Power in Journalism

In this episode of The Pivot Fund Pod, host Haeven Gibbons talks with MLK50’s Co-Executive Directors, Ayanna Watkins and Adrienne Martin, about how co-leadership strengthens justice-centered journalism, deepens accountability to community needs, and helps prevent burnout in local news. They share how their lived experiences shape their roles, how shared decision-making works day to day, and what other community outlets can learn from MLK50’s approach. This episode offers a thoughtful, candid look at why shared leadership is more than a structure — it’s a strategy for sustainability.The Pivot Fund is a new venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news outlets through grantmaking, development support, and strategic consulting. For more information on The Pivot Fund, visit www.thepivotfund.org.

September 18, 2025Episode 2342 min

Carrying the Torch: Oscar Guevara Takes the Helm of MG News While His Father Remains in ICE Custody

In this episode of the Pivot Fund Pod, Tracie Powell, founder and CEO of The Pivot Fund, speaks with Oscar Guevara from MG News. When veteran reporter Mario Guevara was detained by ICE, Atlanta’s Hispanic community lost a vital source of trusted news and information. In this webinar, The Pivot Fund CEO Tracie Powell sits down with Mario’s son, Oscar Guevara, to discuss what it has taken to keep MG News running in his father’s absence. Together, they explore how the arrest has affected both the newsroom and the community it serves, what the experience reveals about the importance of trusted local media, and the ongoing challenges of journalist safety. This conversation is sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.The Pivot Fund is a new venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news outlets through grantmaking, development support, and strategic consulting. For more information on The Pivot Fund, visit www.thepivotfund.org.

August 4, 2025Episode 2244 min

Navigating Identity and Trust with Myers Reece of Underscore Native News

In this episode of The Pivot Fund Pod, Tracie Powell, founder and CEO of The Pivot Fund, speaks with Myers Reece, an Asian American journalist and leader of Underscore Native News, a newsroom focused on indigenous-centered journalism in the Pacific Northwest. They discuss the challenges and insights of leading a newsroom dedicated to a community different from one's own, building trust and the importance of representation in media. Reece shares his experiences in navigating his role with humility, his strategies for building community trust and the organizational growth through dedicated work and strategic funding. The conversation delves into the dynamics of leadership, engagement, accountability and the future vision for Underscore Native News. This conversation is sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Pivot Fund is a new venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news outlets through grantmaking, development support, and strategic consulting. For more information on The Pivot Fund, visit www.thepivotfund.org.

May 14, 2025Episode 2155 min

How to build a hyperlocal media empire with Georgia Fort

In this episode of The Pivot Fund Pod, CEO Tracie Powell talks with media entrepreneur and independent journalist Georgia Fort about her successful news outlet BLCK Press, her nonprofit work at the Center for Broadcast Journalism to grow the next generation of journalists, and how she is thinking strategically about trust and the media landscape of the future from her home state of Minnesota. This conversation is sponsored by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. The Pivot Fund is a new venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news outlets through grantmaking, development support, and strategic consulting. For more information on The Pivot Fund, visit www.thepivotfund.org.

April 17, 2025Episode 2039 min

For Us, By Us: Why Trusting Publishers Is at the Heart of The Pivot Fund’s Work

In a recent Word on the Street interview, with Cumulus Media, CEO Tracie Powell shared how The Pivot Fund supports community-rooted newsrooms.It’s not just about funding—it’s about building real, lasting infrastructure.She spotlighted partners like Courier Eco Latino and BeeTV, each transforming access and revenue in their communities.Our approach is simple: trust media founders to lead. You know your audience. You know what works.We're here to back your vision—every step of the way.

December 12, 2024Episode 1924 min

Turning Board Members Into Fundraisers

This NotebookLM podcast episode discusses strategies for nonprofit media organizations to engage their boards of directors in fundraising. The conversation features the Pivot Fund's board chair and two nonprofit CEOs who share their experiences and tactics for recruiting diverse board members, setting clear expectations, and fostering strong communication. They emphasize the importance of storytelling, leveraging board members' networks, and creating a mutually beneficial board experience. The panelists also address challenges, such as underperforming board members and navigating economic downturns. Finally, they offer practical advice on managing board recruitment and fundraising processes.

November 26, 2024Episode 1811 min

The Rise of Independent Local News

In this episode, produced with Notebook LM, our AI hosts explore Tracie Powell and The Pivot Fund's research on the changing American news landscape by focusing on the state of Michigan. Increasingly, The Pivot Fund finds citizens are moving away from traditional news sources and instead seeking reliable information from independent outlets. Powell's research with The Pivot Fund reveals a rising demand for local, trusted news providers. Michigan's independent news sources, such as El Central, Planet Detroit, and Flint Beat, play an instrumental role in providing news that resonates on a local level, often overlooked by larger media outlets. The Pivot Fund's findings extend to the broader Midwest landscape. Powell contends that local journalism's future hinges on smaller and independent news sources.Reference links:Kalamazoo’s Independent News Source – NowKalamazooDetroit news, Michigan environmental news, information | Planet DetroitFlint Beat | Your Community, Your Voice, Your News - Flint BeatNews Platform Fact Sheet, 2024 | Pew Research CenterEL CENTRAL Hispanic News

September 30, 2024Episode 1742 min

Effective intermediaries: The crucial role of intermediaries in funding journalism

In this episode of The Pivot Fund Pod, Tracie Powell leads a discussion on the pivotal role of philanthropic intermediaries in supporting local and independent news outlets. Powell is joined by Carolyn Powers of Internews and the Listening Post Collective, Luella Brien of Four Points Press, and Saba Long of Atlanta Civic Circle. They share their experiences, challenges, and the critical need for more direct funding and strategic support in the journalism ecosystem. The Pivot Fund is a new venture philanthropy organization dedicated to investing $500 million into independent BIPOC-led community news outlets through grantmaking, development support, and strategic consulting. For more information on The Pivot Fund, visit www.thepivotfund.org.

July 17, 2024Episode 1652 min

Pivot Publisher Series | Effectively Stewarding Donors

Kaylan Martin, principal of Blue Umbrella Strategies, and Kimberly Griffin, co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer of Mississippi Free Press, joined The Pivot Fund's Kimberly Spencer for an insightful webinar on mastering donor stewardship strategies. The trio delved into the art of donor engagement with a focus on hyperlocal newsrooms and fundraisers of color, both facing unique challenges.Discover practical insights and best practices for nurturing donor relationships, from crafting effective stewardship plans to creating meaningful in-person experiences. Learn how to authentically build rapport by celebrating your donors' wins.During the Q&A session, our panelists shared how they would efficiently allocate just a few hours each week, their stance on formality versus informality with new donors, how to tactfully share setbacks with donors and more.To view the full Pivot Publisher Series, visit YouTube.com/@ThePivotFund.This series is supported by the Knight Foundation.