It’s always difficult to run a contest where only 0.0047% of the applicants are singled out for a possible grant. That’s the situation Knight Foundation is in, with the conclusion of the 2008-2009 Knight News Challenge.

We had 2,323 applications for this year’s installation of our $25 million community news and innovation contest. Of the 2,323 applications, 260 (11.2%) were invited to submit a full proposal. The final panel of reviewers was given what the first panel thought was the best of the 260 proposals. That turned out to be 69 great ideas. The second panel selected what they thought were the best proposals that met the goals of expanding news for geographic communities in innovative ways. That turned out to be 11 projects. Nothing magical about any of these numbers. The reviewers always were asked to pick the best ideas at whatever stage they were working.

Now we start the negotiations with each of the 11 prospects, with a goal of announcing the winners in June. Year 4 of the Knight News Challenge opens the first week of September.

We know how difficult it is to receive a rejection letter after you have worked so hard on shaping an idea into what you are proud of. For that reason we always are looking for better ways to run this contest.

Please comment here or send me’ your thoughts at [email protected].

— Gary Kebbel, Knight Foundation Journalism Program Director