Sustaining local news, especially for communities often overlooked by mainstream media, is important but so incredibly difficult. El Tímpano, a US newsroom serving “hard-to-reach” Latino and Mayan immigrants of Oakland and the wider Bay Area, has pioneered a new approach: civic partnerships. Over the past five years, this model has grown from a $6,000 grant for census outreach to generating $350,000 in 2025, making it their second-largest revenue stream.

So, how does it work? Civic partnerships involve collaborating with nonprofits, government agencies, and other mission-driven organisations that need to reach specific communities. These partners contract the newsroom to distribute vital information, whether it’s about public health, community resources, or civic engagement, using the newsroom’s trusted channels.