Source New Mexico, or Source NM, is a nonprofit, state‐focused digital news outlet covering New Mexico politics, public policy, health, environment and Indigenous affairs. It operates under a Creative Commons license and is branded as “scrappy independent journalism,” with an emphasis on civic engagement, policy developments, and editorial commentary. The outlet is part of States Newsroom, a national network of affiliated left-of-center state‐level news outlets.  ^{1 2}

States Newsroom

Source New Mexico operates as a state-level affiliate of States Newsroom, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media network that funds and manages more than two dozen liberal-leaning state-based outlets. ³ In 2023, the parent organization reported over $17 million in revenue and $12 million in total assets. ⁴

Founded in 2019, States Newsroom provides its affiliates with centralized editorial resources, donor support, and technical infrastructure. While the network claims each outlet maintains editorial independence, its affiliates often promote similar political messaging and policy perspectives, leading critics to characterize it as a coordinated messaging operation. ⁵

The network has been cited in national reporting on so-called “pink-slime journalism”—a term for partisan websites designed to mimic the appearance of independent local news outlets. According to a 2024 NewsGuard report, States Newsroom is one of several left-leaning groups using this model, alongside Courier Newsroom. Outlets in this category often emerge in news deserts and present opinion content or advocacy journalism in the format of traditional reporting, raising concerns about transparency and public trust. ⁵

States Newsroom was originally incubated by the Hopewell Fund, a nonprofit overseen by Arabella Advisors, which manages a network of donor-advised funds heavily invested in left-of-center causes. ⁶ The network has also received support from the Wyss Foundation, associated with Swiss billionaire and Democratic megadonor Hansjörg Wyss. ⁷

Source New Mexico partners with national and local civic institutions focused on public policy reporting, particularly in underserved communities. While the site promotes transparency and civic engagement, its alignment with States Newsroom places it within a broader ideological media network designed to shape local political narratives through nonprofit journalism. ¹

Leadership

Source New Mexico launched in August 2021 under the direction of Marisa Demarco, a longtime Albuquerque-based journalist with experience in print and public radio. Demarco previously worked for the Albuquerque Tribune and KUNM News, and worked as executive producer for projects like Your NM Government and No More Normal. ³ As of 2025, she works as the national editor for States Newsroom. ⁸

At its founding, the reporting team included Austin Fisher, Shaun Griswold, and Patrick Lohmann, each with backgrounds in local investigative journalism. ³

Julia Goldberg was the editor-in-chief of Source NM as of 2025. Her work has appeared in the Santa Fe Reporter, the New York Times, and Salon. She previously worked as president of the New Mexico Fund for Public Interest Journalism and as the editorial chair for the Association of Alternative Newsmedia. ^{1 9}

Funding

Source New Mexico is funded exclusively through philanthropic contributions and individual donations, as part of its parent network’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit structure. It does not accept advertising or corporate sponsorship. States Newsroom discloses a partial list of donors who contribute more than $1,000 annually, but detailed funding sources for individual affiliates like Source NM are not publicly itemized. ¹⁰

1. “About.” Source New Mexico. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://sourcenm.com/about/.
2. “Source NM.” Source New Mexico. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://sourcenm.com/.
3. “States Newsroom Launches Source New Mexico.” States Newsroom. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://statesnewsroom.com/press-releases/states-newsroom-launches-source-new-mexico/.
4. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). States Newsroom. 2023. Part I – Summary.
5. “The increasing ubiquity of ‘pink-slime’ journalism.” The Week. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://theweek.com/news/journalism-media-politics-pink-slime.
6. “A website wanted to restore trust in the media. It’s actually a political operation.” The Washington Post. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/02/06/is-it-local-journalism-or-just-local-propaganda/.
7. “Support.” States Newsroom. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://statesnewsroom.com/support/.
8. “Marisa Demarco.” LinkedIn. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisa-demarco-85948b87/
9. “Julia Goldberg.” LinkedIn. Accessed June 24, 2025. https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliag1/.
10.   ^[1] “Donate.” Source New Mexico. Accessed July 3, 2025. https://sourcenm.com/donate/.