When Chestnut Hill resident Nancy Evans visits any town, she follows one personal tradition.

“Every town that I go to, I pick up their local newspaper,” Evans said. “I believe in local newspapers. I think they’re really important.”

This support of community journalism made Evans a natural fit to join the Chestnut Hill Local’s board of directors in May. But that was not the only factor that made Evans a desirable candidate. Her background in fundraising and development work also caught the eye of Daralyse Lyons, publisher of the Local.

“What I love about Nancy is she’s not daunted,” Lyons said. “She’s willing to roll up her sleeves. She’s going to pick up food and wine and bring it to the party, but she’s also going to make calls and leverage connections. … She’s not afraid to ask for donations and let people know the impact of the work the Local is doing, and how their dollars can really translate into making a difference.”

At a pivotal time when the Local is increasing its development and fundraising efforts, applying for nonprofit status, and bringing on a new reporter through a Report for America partnership, Evans may prove a key part of the paper’s future.

A development background

Originally from Connecticut, Evans also lived in California and Washington, D.C., working in a variety of fields, including government and fashion retail. Evans said she didn’t know anything about Philadelphia before moving here, but was struck by Chestnut Hill’s accessibility and amenities.

“Everybody told us to move to the Main Line, and the Main Line is very lovely, but it doesn’t have a sense of community,” Evans said. “It’s a very unique situation [in Chestnut Hill]. You have a walkable community, you have public transportation, you have the park that’s really accessible — that doesn’t exist in so many places. In fact, it’s what city planners are always talking about. Here it is.”

After moving to Chestnut Hill, Evans began volunteering. She joined the board of the Chestnut Hill Conservancy in 2000, helping to organize several of their events, write articles, and take photographs. She also joined Need in Deed, a Philadelphia-based organization working to transform public school education. Evans is also a member of Woodmere’s building and grounds committee and previously served on the art museum’s board of trustees.

In all of these roles, Evans used her fundraising and development skills. Her love of photography also has been an asset to the organizations. “I used to do a lot of pro bono work for photography,” Evans said. “If the Conservancy needed someone to take photographs for them, I would do that. I did it for Need in Deed and I did it for Woodmere. I’m happy to do it. It’s great practice for me, and I particularly like doing portraiture.”

Becoming a nonprofit

Lyons found out about Evans’ interest in the Local through a mutual friend. The publisher and board candidate later met for coffee and realized it would be a great fit.

“I’m very impressed with the direction that Dara has taken [the Local],” Evans said.

A large part of Lyons’ work as publisher has been focused on applying for 501(c)(3) status. If granted, the Local would become a nonprofit exempt from federal income taxes. The application was submitted in April with the support of the Local’s board, the Chestnut Hill Community Association, and the Chestnut Hill Community Fund.

According to Lyons, the Local’s application for 501(c)(3) status is an acknowledgment that the landscape of journalism is changing. An increasing number of newspapers have become nonprofits, opening up new revenue streams to remain sustainable.

Samantha Gibb Roff, development associate for the Local, believes Evans’ role on the board will be essential as the Local waits to hear if the publication is granted a federal nonprofit tax designation.

“As we move toward becoming our own full-fledged nonprofit organization, it is going to be imperative that we have the support of people on the board who are ready and willing to act as ambassadors for the Local as we go out into the community for funding,” Roff said.

Funding an environmental reporter

Evans is interested in protecting Northwest Philadelphia’s environment and green spaces. In addition to taking care of her large backyard garden, Evans has pushed for environmentally sustainable initiatives, including canvassing to ban plastic bags in Wyndmoor. That is why she is excited about the Local’s new environmental reporter, Abby Weiss, who began working in the office on July 7.

“We live in an extraordinary green space, and we need to protect that and enhance it,” Evans said. “We have issues in our neighborhood that are very problematic environmentally.”

Weiss’ salary will be partially funded by Report for America. The Local aims to raise $100,000 over the next three years to cover the remaining portion of the journalist’s salary.

“I feel really encouraged about where we are in our fundraising,” Lyons said. “But I also think we have to keep our foot to the gas pedal and just make sure that while there is energy and enthusiasm now, we raise as much of that $100,000 as possible. Hopefully, we will far exceed that goal, because environmental issues are relevant to everyone in the Wissahickon watershed and beyond.”

The first fundraising event for the Local’s environmental reporter was May 28 at the home of Judy Wicks, the founder of the White Dog Cafe. According to Roff, Evans was instrumental in helping to organize the party.

“She proved to be very helpful,” Roff said. “She was obviously skilled in the art of making people feel welcome and comfortable and knowing all the elements that go into creating a great event.”

As the Local continues its fundraising efforts, Evans is already planning the next event along with Lyons and Roff.

Maggie Dougherty can be reached at Margaret@chestnuthilllocal.com.