During the past year, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has increased its reporting in key areas — from city neighborhoods to the environment, education, and arts and culture — and helped create new opportunities for future journalists thanks to financial help from readers, foundations and community supporters.
A piece in the April 8, 2026 issue of the Journal Sentinel — in advance of Local News Day coverage on April 9 — outlined the changes and support. According to the story:
With support from philanthropic partners and individual donors to such partners, the Journal Sentinel increased its focus in neighborhood dispatch, environment/Great Lakes, education and arts reporting.
Donor support — from universities, foundations and individuals — made possible more than 19 internship opportunities for emerging journalists in 2025, giving them hands-on experience covering issues that matter to Wisconsin communities. Those experiences are leading the next generation of media workers into immediate career placements, including in the JS newsroom.
Community support for local news reporting that began with Report for America, and continuing with the Local Media Foundation and EnMotive Company LLC, a subsidiary of USA TODAY Co., Inc., allows MJS to do work that otherwise wouldn’t be possible.
Those external partners allow philanthropic grants and reader contributions to support the new Journal Sentinel Community-Funded Journalism Project, which provides the newsroom with resources to experiment with new approaches to storytelling and reader engagement.
Community support enhances — but does not direct — newsroom work. Editorial control stays squarely with reporters and editors, allowing us to continue pursuing stories with integrity and independence. Grants and community support are designated for specific coverage areas or roles and cannot be used for general newsroom business expenses or across-the-board compensation. MJS listed several examples of how community support enhanced content and outreach opportunities during the past year.
Financial contributions may be mailed to Local Media Foundation with “J S Community Journalism” in the memo at Local Media Foundation, P.O. Box 85015, Chicago, IL, 60689-5033 or by going online to jsonline.com/ support. The Local Media Foundation, tax ID #36-4427750, is a Section 501(c) (3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association.
