At La Conner Community News, our mission is simple: to serve our community with trustworthy, independent journalism. As we grow, we’re evolving our organization to better reflect the work we’re doing — and the future we’re building together.
We’re excited to share that La Conner Community News is now structured around three connected pillars, each supporting a vibrant and resilient future for local news:
1. The newspaper: Our core operation
This is the newsroom you already know and support — our reporters, photographers, editors, and delivery team working every week to bring you the stories that matter in La Conner and the Skagit Valley. This part of our organization handles day-to-day journalism, production, and operations.
2. The nonprofit: Fueling local journalism
Our nonprofit board is focused on fundraising and donor support to sustain our reporting, with a goal of raising $140k by the end of the year. This allows individuals, businesses, and foundations to invest in local news as a public good — whether it’s underwriting coverage of schools, supporting internships for young journalists, or helping us expand delivery to more households.
We just transitioned our fiscal sponsorship from CNL2 to the Tiny News Collective. Fiscal sponsorships are relationships where established federal nonprofits, like CNL2, agree to support another organization that aligns with their goals, often for fundraising purposes so donors can receive the tax benefits that come with donating to a 501(c)3. We are so grateful for CNL2, the publishers of San Juans Today, for stepping up as our fiscal sponsor in March. CNL2’s publisher has been facing health challenges, and the demands of our growing project became too time-intensive for their team. At the same time, Tiny News Collective offers a more affordable fee structure for processing donations and grants — allowing more of every dollar to go directly toward our journalism.
Most importantly, Tiny News is a nationally respected, stable organization that provides shared resources, peer collaboration, and long-term infrastructure to independent newsrooms like ours. It’s the right move at the right time, and we’re excited about the new opportunities it will bring.
3. Collaborations and special initiatives: Expanding our depth and reach
We’re also creating space for focused partnerships and projects. Think of this as our innovation and collaboration lab. Whether it’s teaming up with other community papers or larger newsrooms, this pillar allows us to pursue deep-dive storytelling, special sections, and initiatives that highlight rural issues, Indigenous perspectives, environmental stories, and more.
This new structure isn’t about getting bigger — it’s about getting smarter, more sustainable, and more community-driven. It allows us to be nimble, build partnerships with purpose, and say yes to the kinds of journalism our readers deserve.
Thank you for supporting us through every phase of this journey. Together, we’re building something powerful: a local news model rooted in place, strengthened by community, and ready for the future.
How to support La Conner Community News
Online: Click on the orange “donate” button below or on the homepage and fill out the form for either a one-time gift or monthly giving. You’ll get a tax receipt right away.
Via mail: Send a check made out to the “Tiny News Collective” with “La Conner Community News” in the memo to the following address:
The Tiny News Collective
1500 Chestnut St. #2113
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Remember to include your name, address, and email address to receive your receipt.
Note: La Conner Community News is fiscally sponsored by The Tiny News Collective (EIN 85-3963369), a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. You are donating to The Tiny News Collective, which will hold your gift in a restricted fund for the charitable purposes of La Conner Community News but retains variance power in accordance with our fiscal sponsorship agreement with La Conner Community News and FASB Statements 958-605-25-25 and -26. Donations to Tiny News Collective are tax-deductible as permitted by law. You should consult your tax advisor regarding the deductibility of your donation.
Kari Mar: kari@laconnercommunitynews.org. Kari is editor and publisher.
