Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education announces inaugural Fire Up Entrepreneurship Program cohort

OAKLAND, Calif., July 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education is proud to announce the inaugural cohort for the Fire Up Entrepreneurship Program.

The cohort consists of eight California-serving newsrooms. Each receive seven months of training in revenue, product and community plus mentorship on their proposed project and a $20,000 grant. Project ideas range from surfacing untold Black stories to ensuring free bilingual news in the Central Coast to mitigating AI threats to audience traffic.

Fire Up is part of the Propel Initiative to strengthen California’s multi-lingual media ecosystem, ensuring sustainability of public service journalism for underserved localities.

The eight news organizations are Bay City News Foundation, Daylight San Diego, India Currents, El Informador del Valle, El Latino Central Coast, MindSite News, Nowruz Media and Observer Group Newspapers of Southern California.

Where are Fire Up newsrooms?

Fire Up is made possible by a budget allocation from the State of California and is part of the Propel Initiative to support local news, with the goal of safeguarding democracy and encouraging civic engagement by giving all citizens access to quality journalism. The journalism organizations in this cohort serve audiences statewide, including 26 Assembly districts and 12 Senate districts.

The newsrooms cover and are based in these Assembly districts:

• 5, Joe Patterson (R).
• 6, Maggy Krell (D). 
• 7, Josh Hoover (R).
• 12, Damon Connolly (D).
• 13, Rhodesia Ransom (D).
• 14, Buffy Wicks (D).
• 15, Anamarie Ávila Farías (D).
• 18, Mia Bonta (D).
• 19, Catherine Stefani (D).
• 21, Diane Papan (D).
• 25, Ash Kalra (D).
• 27, Esmeralda Z. Soria (D).
• 32, Stan Ellis (R).
• 36, Jeff Gonzalez (R).
• 37, Gregg Hart (D).
• 38, Steve Bennett (D).
• 39, Juan Carrillo (D).
• 42, Jacqui Irwin (D). 
• 47, Greg Wallis (R). 
• 74, Laurie Davies (R).
• 75, Carl DeMaio (R). 
• 76, Dr. Darshana R. Patel (D). 
• 77, Tasha Boerner (D).
• 78, Christopher M. Ward (D). 
• 79, Dr. La Shae Sharp-Collins (D).
• 80, David A. Alvarez (D).

The newsrooms cover and are based in these state Senate districts:

• 6, Roger Niello (R).
• 7, Jesse Arreguín (D).
• 12, Shannon Grove (R).
• 15, Dave Cortese (D).
• 18, Steve Padilla (D).
• 19, Rosilicie Ochoa Bogh (R).
• 21, Monique Limón (D).
• 27, Henry Stern (D).
• 32, Kelly Seyarto (R).
• 38, Catherine S. Blakespear (D).
• 39, Akilah Weber Pierson (D).
• 40, Brian W. Jones (R).

SOURCE Maynard Institute for Journalism Education