Donor-advised funds (DAFs) represent one of the fastest-growing sources of charitable giving in the United States, yet many news organizations have only begun to explore the potential of these funds to help support local journalism. Join us for a practical conversation about DAFs, featuring leaders from journalism, philanthropy and community foundations who are successfully connecting donors and local news organizations.

This webinar will explore how newsrooms can build relationships with community foundations, educate and engage donors who have donor-advised funds and position journalism as a critical community investment. Speakers will share lessons learned from working with news organizations and foundations across the country, as well as firsthand experiences cultivating donor support, stewarding community partnerships and making the case for journalism as a public good.

This webinar will provide actionable strategies, real-world examples and practical advice for tapping into one of the most significant sources of funding available today for local journalism sustainability.

Speakers:
– Bob Woodward, Director of Journalism Philanthropy and College Student Partnerships, Woodward Communications, Inc.
– Mary Jo Jean-Francois, Vice President of Impact, Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
– Morgan Baum, Vice President, Local News Sustainability, Report For America
– Erin Richards, Director of Newsroom Development, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
– Barbara Frank, Donor Advised Fund Donor

Join the Reynolds Journalism Institute and four newsrooms who created unique community initiatives from our Community-Centered Symposium. We will talk about how you can replicate or be inspired by these efforts! Each speaker will give a brief overview of their project, and then we will have an open Q&A to answer all your questions.

Encore presentation from the 2026 Lenfest News Philanthropy Summit.