Funding Transparency

At The Tennessee Firefly, we believe trust begins with transparency. That’s why we want our readers to understand exactly how we’re funded — and how those funding relationships affect (or more importantly, don’t affect) our journalism.

Who Funds Us

The Tennessee Firefly is currently funded by Tennesseans for Student Success (TSS), a statewide nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to improving public education outcomes. TSS is a coalition of parents, teachers, community leaders, and volunteers who support policies such as student-based funding, school accountability, and increased choices in public education.

Learn more about Tennesseans for Student Success →

Editorial Independence

While we are proud to have the support of Tennesseans for Student Success, our newsroom maintains full editorial independence. TSS does not participate in selecting stories, editing content, or making decisions about our coverage. All editorial direction is set by The Tennessee Firefly’s internal team, led by Managing Editor Sky Arnold.

We adhere to high standards of journalism, including fairness, factual accuracy, and accountability. Any articles we publish are based on our own reporting, editorial judgment, and commitment to serving the public interest — not the preferences of any funder.

Our Commitment to Transparency

We know that funding relationships matter — especially in today’s media landscape. That’s why we are proactive in disclosing our support and drawing a clear line between financial contributors and editorial content. In the future, if additional funders or sponsorships are added, we will continue to update this page and maintain the same high level of transparency.

Questions?

If you ever have a question about our funding or editorial process, we invite you to reach out directly or email us at info@tnfirefly.com. Open dialogue with our readers is part of what keeps us accountable.