Listening Post Collective grant helps OMN strengthen community-centered reporting

$20,000 award supports time to listen to unmet needs and respond with local coverage, backed by transparency in funding

Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News

LAS CRUCES - Organ Mountain News has received a $20,000 grant from the Listening Post Collective, a national initiative that helps communities build and sustain local news.

The support allows OMN to dedicate more time to listening to residents about what’s missing in the information landscape — and to rise in response with reporting that meets those needs.

“Our newsroom exists to serve southern New Mexico, and that starts with listening,” said OMN founder and editor Damien Willis. “This support means we can be more deliberate about identifying what people aren’t getting from traditional outlets and making sure those gaps are filled.”

That approach has guided reporting such as OMN’s coverage of the Ben Archer Health Center reversing course on care for undocumented patients, and its investigation into NMSU losing $25 million in research funding under new federal directives. Both stories came from listening closely to community concerns and pursuing answers beyond official statements.

The Listening Post Collective is backed by major national foundations, including the MacArthur Foundation, the Ford Family Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation and Democracy Fund. OMN says being open about its sources of funding is part of its commitment to transparency and building trust with the community.

The $20,000 grant follows earlier support from the New Mexico Local News Fund, the Local Media Association and the Google News Initiative, which have each invested in OMN’s mission to build sustainable, community-centered local news.

In the months ahead, OMN will create opportunities for residents to share their concerns and ideas about the local news ecosystem in Doña Ana County. That feedback will help guide future coverage and ensure the newsroom continues to reflect the priorities of the community it serves.

Meanwhile, if you have any thoughts you’d like to share, you can always reach us at organmountainnews@gmail.com. We’re listening.