Only place-based foundations can apply for the Knight Community Information Challenge. If you are an innovator in local news, you may be able to approach local foundations about participating in the challenge to fund your idea.

The Knight Community Information Challenge is part of Knight’s Media Innovation Initiative, which seeks to help communities meet their information needs in a democracy. Knight believes that community or other place-based foundations are set up to address core community problems – including news and information.

In the Information Challenge, Knight is looking for projects that help fill community information needs, foster community engagement and help residents participate in the creation and sharing of news and information.

If you have an idea that will accomplish these goals, contact the foundation president or a foundation program officer of a community foundation or other geographically focused foundations in your area.

Let them know that:

·      Knight Foundation has a matching grant program to help community foundations get involved in funding news and information projects;

·      The program is premised on the belief that information is a core community need, and since community foundations are formed to meet core community needs, they are logical partners in funding information projects;

·      You have an idea that can help fill an information need in your community, and would like to form a partnership.

For more information on the challenge, please see our FAQ.

By Michele McLellan, Knight Community Information Challenge Circuit Rider