A coalition of foundations, institutions, individuals, and other nonprofits have pledged more than a half billion dollars to support local news and information under the heading Press Forward. While the majority of grantmaking is expected to begin in 2024, some participants might make grants in support of the coalition before the end of this year.
According to the Press Forward website, “The goal of this initiative is to catalyze a local news renaissance that will reshape the local news landscape and re-center local journalism as a force for community cohesion, civic participation, and government accountability.” The 22 funders pledged to the coalition will provide grants that enable four goals:
- Strengthening local newsrooms and other community-focused journalism;
- Scaling the infrastructure that supports news content generation and dissemination;
- Closing inequities in journalism by improving diversity of thought and experience, especially within historically underserved communities as well as those which, due to the closure of news outlets, have become “news deserts;” and,
- Advancing public policies that expand access to local news and civic information sources, along with strengthening First Amendment and editorial independence protections
Initial funding participants include: The Archewell Foundation; Carnegie Corporation of New York; Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln; Democracy Fund; Ford Foundation; Mary W. Graham; Glen Nelson Center at American Public Media Group; Heising-Simons Foundation; Henry Luce Foundation; William and Flora Hewlett Foundation; John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; Joyce Foundation; KFF; Knight Foundation; The Lenfest Institute for Journalism; Lumina Foundation; McKnight Foundation; Outrider Foundation; Rita Allen Foundation; Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; Skyline Foundation and Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
The effort comes at a time when quality local news efforts have become more scarce. According to a statement from coalition leaders, around 2,200 local newspapers have closed since 2005, leaving 20% of Americans without access to reliable coverage of local events. Press Forward is geared toward reversing this through deploying resources that foster peer learning, insights and feedback from current leaders in the journalism field, a focus on community needs and promoting DEI in newsgathering.
“We have a moment to support the reimagination, revitalization, and rapid development of local news. We are prepared to support the strongest ideas and seed new ones; build powerful networks; and invest in people, organizations, and networks with substantial resources,” John Palfrey, president of the MacArthur Foundation said in the statement. “The philanthropic sector recognizes the need to strengthen American democracy and is beginning to see that progress on every other issue, from education and healthcare to criminal justice reform and climate change, is dependent on the public’s understanding of the facts.”
The organization is structuring the process by which potential recipients will award funding. It is also welcoming additional funders. More information on both functions is available here (https://www.pressforward.news/#get-involved) although as the website notes in a message to potential recipients, “the priority is on bringing more funders into the coalition to support local news. Please be patient as we focus on this aspect of the initiative and identifying staff for Press Forward.”
The effort is being coordinated by leaders at The Miami Foundation, a 56-year-old Miami, Florida-based nonprofit that seeks to strengthen Miami through philanthropy, leadership and community engagement. Press Forward will support journalism efforts throughout America on a national, state and local level.
The Miami Foundation reported total revenue of $147.3 million for the year ending December 31, 2021, according to the most recent Form 990 available. It made $64.1 million in grants and similar activities to more than 800 organizations throughout the country during that year.
