A view of the Kansas City skyline, taken from the World War I memorial.
A view of the Kansas City skyline, taken from the World War I memorial. (Zach Bauman/The Beacon)

A Letter from Stephanie Campbell, CEO

In Kansas City, we build trust the same way we cook our best barbecue: low and slow. And we let it build over time.

When The Beacon launched five years ago, we had a bold vision for what local news could be: transparent, community-powered and rooted in public service.

But vision alone doesn’t build trust. That takes time. It takes showing up. It takes listening first, then reporting with clarity and care.

This spring, that patient, steady approach is gaining new momentum.

Thanks to a new multi-year commitment from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, we’re expanding the civic journalism Kansas City needs most — and inviting the community to help shape it. We’re launching a local chapter of City Bureau’s Documenters Network: a program that will train and pay residents to monitor public meetings, share what they learn and work with journalists to help shape the local news agenda.

It’s part of our larger goal to revive the people’s press, where journalism isn’t just for the public, but created with the public. We’re hiring reporters to cover workforce, education and public investment. We’re supporting grassroots media outlets. And we’re widening access to civic information for the communities that need it most.

We’re also making our values visible. By joining The Trust Project, we’ve adopted eight trust indicators that help readers understand how our journalism is sourced, edited and produced. Because in moments of confusion, transparency creates clarity and credibility.

This work represents our commitment to where we started: in Kansas City, with the belief that journalism is civic infrastructure, just as essential as libraries, public schools or safe streets.

I recently got back from New Orleans for AJPalooza, an annual gathering of nonprofit newsroom leaders hosted by the American Journalism Project. I’ve been learning from and sharing with some of the most committed, creative minds in public-service journalism. And one question keeps coming up:

What does the future of local news look like?

In Kansas City, we think it looks like this:

  • Trust is built deliberately, not assumed.
  • Stories reflect the people closest to the issues.
  • Journalism that provides context, not just headlines.
  • And residents who don’t just consume the news, but inform it.

We’re incredibly proud to be part of this inaugural Kauffman Foundation Project grantee group — one of just 27 organizations selected from over 250 applicants.

Thank you for believing in this vision. For reading, sharing, donating and showing up.

Together, we’re building something for all of us.

Onward,

Stephanie Campbell
CEO, The Beacon

STEPHANIE CAMPBELL is The Beacon’s CEO. Campbell brings deep experience in nonprofit leadership roles spanning the education, startup, philanthropy, technology and performing arts industries, as well...