Community
3
2026
Gig Harbor Now – 2025 Network Funding Spotlight
Gig Harbor Now is a nonprofit news organization working to strengthen the community and democracy by accurately, objectively and reliably reporting local news and events, and providing a forum for the people of the greater Gig Harbor area.
The newspaper arose from the demise of a similar publication whose editor and reporter refused to accept that local news isn’t important. For a decade, they produced the weekly Gig Harbor Life until in 2018 parent company Gannett discontinued it as financially unsustainable. It was a scenario echoed across traditional American newspapers, which lost advertising to major internet platforms and correspondingly were forced to close or reduce coverage.
The former staff members rallied community supporters to help fill the information void. They pursued a nonprofit model that has proved successful in restoring local news to many communities.
Network Approach
Gig Harbor Now is part of the nationwide, Institute for Nonprofit News. Executive Director Jenny Wellman said being part of this network, “has greatly benefited our small startup with resources from education on various topics to funding opportunities such as NewsMatch. She added that having, “a more locally focused network would be a tremendous resource. We all face the same challenges and are eager to share ideas.” Gig Harbor Now is also hoping to join and actively participate in the newly formed Washington State News Alliance.
Gig Harbor Now staff often advise others that are starting up nonprofit newsrooms or changing from a for-profit to nonprofit model and are part of a group of Washington newsrooms that are actively engaged in advancing legislation to help support local journalism. They have also partnered with another local newsroom, the Kitsap Sun, to jointly host a Murrow News fellow through Washington State University’s Edward R. College of Communications program.