Nonprofit news outlet the Nashville Banner has been awarded $1.2 million from the American Journalism Project.
The AJP, a philanthropy organization dedicated to local news, announced on Tuesday morning a total investment of $3.5 million for the growth of three news organizations. In addition to the Banner, the Cardinal News in Virginia ($800,000) and the Honolulu Civil Beat in Hawaii ($1.5 million) will also receive portions of the funds.
Nonprofit news site revives legacy brand after three years of preparation
Nashville Banner president and editor Steve Cavendish tells the Scene that the news organization plans to hire four people in 2026 focused on audience growth, sponsorship opportunities, memberships and overall business operations. Cavendish also says the Banner plans to double its staff reporters over the next three years to expand coverage of the statehouse to include its editorial priorities in housing, health and environment.
"I can’t put too fine of a point on this: Reversing the trend of declining local news requires investment that the big national chains simply aren’t going to make," Cavendish tells the Scene. "The AJP’s selection of the Banner is not only an endorsement of the work we’ve been doing, it's an investment in Nashville and Middle Tennessee."
Currently, the Banner editorial team is made up of 12 individuals, including Cavendish and veteran former Nashville television news anchor Demetria Kalodimos, who serves as executive producer.
Stephen Elliott, former Nashville Post editor-in-chief and Scene reporter, and David Boclair, former Post sports editor, are also part of the team, as are Steve Haruch and Steven Hale, both of whom previously worked for the Scene.
The Banner made its official reintroduction to the Nashville media landscape in March 2024 as a nonpartisan online outlet after its original run ended in 1998.
The American Journalism Project launched in 2019 and has raised $243 million and invested in 53 nonprofit local news organizations nationwide. According to its website, the AJP has made only one other investment in Tennessee: in the Civic News Company, the parent company of the education-focused outlet Chalkbeat.
