History

The Minnesota Newspaper Foundation was established in 1979 by a group of leaders in Minnesota’s newspaper industry to provide training for newspaper professionals around the state, particularly those who work at weeklies and small dailies. The Foundation has always worked in close partnership with the Minnesota Newspaper Association to ensure that our training is relevant and practical.

We have offered training seminars ranging from beginning reporting to advanced newspaper design, from photography to Photoshop, from beginning ad sales to selling for the web, from sales management to circulation. We work hard to ensure that our training evolves to meet the changing needs and challenges of this dynamic field.

Recently, we have begun offering leadership development training to newspapers, through the Editors and Publishers Community Leadership Program, a collaboration with the Blandin Foundation of Grand Rapids, MN.

Each year the Foundation administers the Minnesota Journalists Abroad Scholarship to one deserving Minnesota college student who is interested in working in journalism and wants to expand their horizons through international travel.

The Foundation educates the broader public about the roles and obligations of a free press in a free society, through public education programs and at our Minnesota newspaper Museum, located on the Minnesota State Fairgrounds.