NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Middle Tennessee residents are getting a new ally in support of local news.

Press Forward Middle Tennessee, housed at Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, is bringing together local funders, community partners, residents, and news leaders to invest in and support a stronger, more connected local news and information ecosystem. The initiative is part of the national Press Forward network, a growing philanthropic effort to mobilize investment in and reimagine local news across the country.

Locally, the work will first focus on understanding where information gaps exist and how communities prefer to receive and share information.

“People make better decisions, look out for their neighbors, and show up for their communities when they have good local information,” said Kelly Walberg, Vice President of Marketing and Communications and Press Forward chapter founder at CFMT. “Press Forward Middle Tennessee is about strengthening that foundation of trusted local information so that everyone in our community can stay informed and connected.”

Walberg’s leadership in this work grew out of CFMT’s community partnerships. Through initiatives such as Nashville Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) and cross-sector community convenings, Walberg saw how often strong community response depends on people having access to clear, timely, and trusted local information. Those experiences helped reveal the need for a more intentional effort to understand and strengthen how news and information reach communities across Middle Tennessee.

Local news plays a critical role in daily life. It helps Middle Tennesseans understand what is happening in their neighborhoods, from school changes and public safety updates to housing, health care, and economic opportunity. Yet across the country and in Tennessee, the way we receive news has changed. Local newsrooms have faced significant challenges, competing with a patchwork of platforms and sources that can lack consistency and local connection, leaving gaps in coverage and access to trusted information.

Press Forward Middle Tennessee is committed to addressing those gaps by listening to communities, understanding where information gaps exist, and supporting trusted local news and information that reflects local needs.

“We want this work to begin with listening,” said Walberg. “People already know when the news isn’t reaching them, and why trust is weak. Press Forward Middle Tennessee is about understanding those gaps and helping build stronger, more trusted local news and information for the future.”

In the coming weeks, Press Forward Middle Tennessee will launch a region-wide survey to hear directly from residents across its 40-county service area. The survey will gather input on how people access news, what information they rely on, and where they see gaps in coverage. Insights from the survey will help guide future philanthropic investments and partnerships to strengthen local news and information systems across Middle Tennessee.

To help guide the work locally, Press Forward Middle Tennessee has convened a steering committee of journalists, editors, publishers, civic communicators, and community leaders from across the region. The group reflects the collaborative nature of the initiative and helps shape decisions about how to strengthen trusted local news and information in ways that serve Middle Tennessee communities.

Press Forward Middle Tennessee will work alongside community partners, local media, and residents to collaborate, innovate, and direct resources toward a more sustainable future for local news.