5 Projects We're Proud of This Year—And The People Who Made Our Work Better
Exactly 11 months ago, we published a post sharing what Commoner does: “research, facilitation and strategic communications to help make sense of complex civic challenges.” As any new founder knows, those kinds of statements are more of a manifestation—a declaration of the kind of work you want to do (and hope you’ll get!)
And we consider ourselves lucky that as we reflect on five of our most successful projects this year, they all are in line with the kind of work we were most excited to do.
In reflecting on these projects, one key throughline is just how critical and powerful network building is in the context of field building. Below we’ve highlighted one guiding question for each project, how we answered it and what happened as a result.
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1. Launching The Journalism Support Exchange (JSX)
How might we help local news providers find the right organizations to support them without spending hours searching and wondering if they're missing better options?
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After nearly a year of development and interviews with field leaders, we launched the Journalism Support Exchange—a searchable database making it easier for local news providers to find support. The JSX— still in beta— catalogs the rapidly growing journalism support ecosystem of organizations and consultants offering programs, tools, services, events and grants. Each organization can claim its profile and complete a standardized "information card" explaining what they offer and how to work with them.
To date, the JSX has a total of 363 profiles with 33% of those verified by someone at the organization. It’s already garnered more than 30,000 page views and 5,000+ unique visitors since launching, proving the need for the tool. Based on a small sample of survey responses, local news providers are the primary user, with support organizations being the second, and the majority of survey respondents said they found something useful or valuable on the site.
We launched this tool in partnership with Public Data Works and Press Forward, and are actively learning and improving the tool.
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The JSX is just beginning—we’ll be sharing data analysis, developing new features and testing new avenues for expansion in 2026. Interested in partnering with the JSX? Connect with us to explore ideas and opportunities.
The JSX homepage features questions asked by users.
2. The First and Second Installments of Our "This is Local News Now" Series
How can everyone involved in strengthening local news and information—both support organizations and on-the-ground practitioners—use shared language to describe their roles to enable more strategic, coordinated field building?
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We published the first two installments of a three-part series examining the local news field at a critical inflection point.
In "The Critical Role Support Organizations Can Play in Maturing the Local News Field" (published for Democracy Fund), we offer a taxonomy for describing the different types of support organizations and how, based on their functions, they can coordinate more strategically. Drawing from 22 interviews, we proposed a field-level agenda addressing how the local news field might mature into its next phase of growth.
In "This is Local News Now," we proposed the term “information stewards,” a radically expanded definition of who informs communities—reaching beyond traditional local news providers (journalists and newsrooms) to include civic promoters (government agencies, libraries, nonprofits, schools) and community catalysts (engaged residents, neighborhood organizers, local advocates)who meet genuine community information needs.
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We hope to complete the third installment in 2026 with a report focused on how the philanthropic landscape engages as part of—and is changing in response to—the current local news movement. We’re currently seeking a home for this final report, concluding our analysis of the local news field (journalism support organizations, local news providers and local news funders).
Commoner cofounder Darryl Holliday discussed the info stewards report on the Five Dubs podcast alongside Press Forward’s Melissa Milios Davis.
3. Building Sustainable, Peer-led Networks with News Futures and the JSK Fellowship
How might we evolve and strengthen existing peer networks into a public-facing coalition of field leaders and innovators?
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We worked on two different, but very related, projects that focused on how to best support people and the ideas they have about how to strengthen the local news field.
The first project is News Futures. For six years, this small grassroots-based group has tackled big challenges in news and information like launching the Media Power Collaborative, contributed to the Roadmap for Local News, built the Care Collaboratory, published the Civic Media Census, and developed the hierarchy of information needs framework. Then, last year, the group made the decision to open up its work to more people.
Alongside other part-time News Futures staff, we helped support News Futures’ public launch with 100 co-signers of its inaugural charter. To date, the number of News Futures signatories has grown to nearly 700 people from within and adjacent to the local news field. The News Futures staff collectively launched newsletters, Working Groups and a quarterly virtual event this year.
The second project is Stanford’s John S. Knight Journalism Fellowships program. For years this prestigious journalism fellowship has supported more than 1,000 fellows during a year-long on-campus fellowship. But what happens once they leave campus? We were hired to design a proposal to help transform their alumni community into a more strategic network, benefitting fellows and the fellowship program.
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In March, we’ll help News Futures host its first News Futures convention, bringing delegates from across the News Futures community together to define its next chapter. We plan to continue supporting networks and network builders focused on making civic life more accessible and inspired.
News Futures promotional launch materials highlight its charter.
4. Convening the Central Valley Journalism Ecosystem
How might we convene local leaders to create a shared agenda for strengthening their regional news and information ecosystem?
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In October, we brought together 60+ journalists, storytellers, and community leaders from California's Central Valley for two days focused on strengthening regional journalism.
The James B. McClatchy Foundation convening in Merced centered on dialogue, peer-led exchange, and building a more connected, equitable media ecosystem. Participants surfaced regional priorities, reflected on practicing journalism with and for community, and explored authentic storytelling about the Valley. Conversations ranged from practical newsroom challenges to deeper questions about local media's role in civic life. The convening created space for isolated practitioners to connect with peers, building relationships and shared understanding rather than prescriptive solutions.
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We’re excited to take our learnings from the Central Valley to more communities, both in California and beyond. Contact us to develop and facilitate your field gathering in 2026.
5. Building A Vision for Civic Renewal with Local News 2035
How might we use three distinct scenarios of how local news functions 10 years from now to help field leaders identify and coordinate around a shared vision toward their preferred future?
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This fall, we partnered with Press Forward, Democracy Fund, and Dot Connector Studio on scenario planning to help the local news field develop shared vision. Beginning September 2025, the team facilitated conversations with 90+ field leaders asking: What does local news look like in 2035? Conversations informed three scenarios: "Commerce Dominates," "Information is Power," and "Trust, Justice, and a New American Way."
These aren't predictions—they're crafted to expose dynamics and draw contrasting visions. In early 2026, we'll publish a facilitation guide to continue these conversations, with insights informing broader field agenda. The initiative honors our friend and fellow traveler Jessica Clark.
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We’ll soon be sharing what we’ve learned so far from this project and how it’s beginning to influence field leaders’ thinking about their work. In January, we plan to share a guide to help any field leader facilitate conversations about these scenarios with their own teams and/or people they serve.
Jesse Hardman of the Listening Post Collective engages in a facilitated LN35 session at the 2025 Press Forward Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Thank you to the many people who made Commoner Company’s first year a success!
Partners: Dale Anglin, Krista Almanzan, Misty Avila, Angelica Das, Melissa Milios Davis, Jeff Freeland Nelson, Tom Glaisyer, Teresa Gorman, Marika Lynch, Duc Luu, Glen Nelson, Djordje Padejski, , Christine Schmidt, Josh Stearns, Keiona Williamson, Graham Watson Ringo
Co-conspirators and advisors: Sarabeth Berman, Heather Bryant, Jessica Clark, Letrell Crittenden, the Gardening Club, Lindsay Green-Barber, Tim Isgitt, S. Mitra Kalita, Megan Lucero, Joy Mayer, Fiona Morgan, Kristen Muller, Tara Puckey, Samantha Ragland, Erik Rodriguez, Andrew Rockway, Sierra Sangetti-Daniels, Rajiv Sinclair, Nina Spensley, Sukari Stone, Bridget Thoreson, Evan Vahouny
Project reviewers and focus group attendees: Becca Aaronson, Sakeena Alkateeb, Vania Andre, Reed Anfinson, Alicia Bell, Sofia Bliss-Carrascosa, Patrick Boehler, Bob Bonnar, Shannan Bowen, Jennifer Brandel, Cierra Brown-Hinton, MyongSool Chang, Jason Cole, Leo Cusimano, Talibdin El-Amin, Chantelle Fisher Borne, Craig Franklin, Alex Frandsen, Beth George, Cole Goins, Melissa Greene-Blye, DeWayne Grice, Tim Griggs, Diana Haecker, Jesse Hardman, Jean Ho, Damon Kiesow, Chris Krewson, Chris Lopez, Vandana Kumar, Courtney Lewis, Tristan Loper, Henok Mengistu, Anne Mueller, Liz Nelson, John Patu Jr, Monique Parker, Matthew Paxton, Linda Pinkow, Pete Plastrik, Robert Poulson, Tracie Powell, Carolyn Powers, Mike Rispoli, Karen Rundlet, Debbie Schimberg, Gabe Schneider, Kerry Semrad, Mikhael Simmonds, Missy Spears, Tim Stauffer, Danny Stusser, Janey Tate, Bridget Thoreson, Richard Tofel, Sonam Vashi, Mary Walter-Brown, Macy Yang