The Frisc, an independent nonprofit news outlet focused on San Francisco, will shut down at the end of September after nearly a decade in operation, citing a severe funding crisis.
Founder Alex Lash announced the closure, stating that the publication has run out of money to continue publishing. Lash confirmed that the entire staff has been laid off. He is personally funding the publication's farewell event.
The Frisc was launched in 2017 by Lash and fellow journalists Anthony Lazarus and Barry Owen, along with designer Jeremy LaCroix, with the goal of filling what they perceived as a gap in local news coverage for San Francisco. Over its nearly ten-year run, the outlet published hundreds of stories and provided early opportunities for emerging reporters.
Initially, The Frisc's coverage concentrated on San Francisco's housing crisis, later broadening to include issues such as homelessness, declining public school enrollment, public transportation, and street safety. Lash, who left his role as national biotech editor at Xconomy in 2019 to lead The Frisc full-time, noted that securing funding became increasingly difficult in 2025. The publication relied on donations for years, and Lash believes competition for limited nonprofit journalism funds has intensified, potentially due to increased donor support for public media organizations following the end of federal funding for public radio stations like KQED.
The outlet also faced challenges in establishing a distinct presence within San Francisco's competitive local media environment. Although The Frisc stopped endorsing political candidates after transitioning to a nonprofit model, it continued to advocate for denser, more affordable housing and policies promoting pedestrian and cyclist safety. Lash described the publication's outlook as broadly "urbanist," acknowledging that some might associate its pro-housing stance with the YIMBY movement.
The closure occurs amidst a recent increase in local news organizations in San Francisco. The Frisc was nearing its 10th anniversary at the time of its shutdown. Senior editor Lisa Plachy expressed sadness over the closure, impacting both the publication and its team.
The Frisc experienced a significant loss in 2020 with the death of co-founder Barry Owen from pancreatic cancer. Lash credited Owen with encouraging the publication to balance its coverage of the city's challenges with positive stories about San Francisco and its public spaces. Lazarus departed from the project in 2024 and has since left the field of journalism.
Following the closure, Lash plans to take a break before seeking new employment in journalism, reflecting on the difficulties of nonprofit media operations, especially in the current climate. "In the best of times, nonprofit media is no easy lift," Lash stated in his announcement. "These are not the best of times."