Mission

ANF is dedicated to the promotion and support of independent journalism to support the core principles of the alternative press: Speaking truth to power, telling stories other publications won’t, and giving voice to those who would otherwise go unheard. ANF also serves as a fiscal sponsor to independent entities that build local news and information infrastructure to serve their communities.

The Big Idea

The decline of local newsrooms is well documented. Thanks in part to the direct financial support from readers, Monterey County Weekly and Monterey County Now are a counternarrative—an operation that is persevering and ambitious. With a 10-person newsroom covering communities and issues across Monterey County, in print, online and in a daily newsletter, they seek to utilize the Fund For Independent Journalism to aspire to do even more. Donations to this fiscal sponsor via Monterey County Gives! will allow the Weekly to invest in more investigative reporting. Longform investigations take time and resources, sometimes many months and many dollars. In addition, as a member of the newly formed Monterey County Media Literacy Coalition, the Weekly is increasingly engaged in demonstrating how they report stories and guiding readers on understanding a fast-changing media landscape.

Sometimes reading your journalism pisses me off, some days it makes me laugh out loud, but I always come away knowing more. Keep it up.

- Pat Wilkins