Report for America announced in December 2024 that it had selected Mainstreet Daily News as one of its host newsrooms, marking a significant step forward for this independent startup.
Report for America is a national service program that places journalists into local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities. Since 2017, the organization has placed 758 reporters in 429 newsrooms around the country—from legacy publications like the Miami Herald to small independents like Oklahoma Watch.
The program involves a competitive selection process for both newsrooms and reporters. Report for America provides 50% of the journalist’s salary in the first year, 33% in the second year, and 20% in the third year, with the rest to come from local funding sources.
The structure is designed to encourage local philanthropy to support journalism in a bigger way and, thus, make these positions sustainable beyond the three-year Report for America program.
Mainstreet’s first Report for America position has been a smashing success, helping grow our production with high-impact coverage. Education reporter Nick Anschultz, a proud UF grad, joined our team last June and has already written 190 stories in under 10 months.
These education stories have ranged from daily news to in-depth features covering the many important storylines unfolding in Alachua County, including the superintendent search at Alachua County Public Schools, the planned closure of some local schools, the development of Newberry Community School, UF’s presidential search and much more.
We recently learned that one of Nick’s 2025 stories is a finalist for a statewide award. This recognition simply confirms what Alachua County residents already know: Mainstreet provides the community with the best education coverage in the area.
We want this important work to continue, so this week we are launching a Spring Giving Campaign to fully fund our education position for the rest of 2026. The easiest way to participate is to visit our new, user-friendly donation portal online. You can also mail a check to our fiscal sponsor, the Community Foundation of North Central Florida, at 3919 Newberry Road #3, Gainesville, FL 32607. Just put Mainstreet Daily News in the memo.
Whichever option you choose, your donation will go through the Community Foundation, ensuring each gift will be tax-deductible and go directly to support local journalism in Alachua County.
The stories Nick is covering are vital for the future of Gainesville. Many of his 190 pieces would not exist if he had not written them, because no other outlet covered those stories. He has shown up when no one else did.
Nick’s work highlights the power of local journalism, and you have the opportunity to partner in it. Please join our Spring Giving Campaign and help us build a stronger community.