Several funding opportunities are open in March and April 2017 at Knight Foundation. We look for ideas that align with our mission of supporting informed and engaged communities, and embrace those that stretch the definition of what that means.

• Knight Community Information Lab. This opportunity is specifically for community and place-based foundations that want to be leaders in meeting the information needs of their communities. Winning teams will learn how to use human-centered design to work with local residents to close information gaps. Deadline: March 24.
• Open Call on Trust in News. What’s your best idea to improve the flow of accurate information? Knight Foundation, Democracy Fund and the Rita Allen Foundation believe informed communities are indispensable to a healthy American democracy. We’re looking for early-stage ideas to address concerns about the spread of misinformation and build trust in quality journalism; average grant size will be up to $50,000. Deadline: April 3.
• Journalism 360 Challenge. Knight Foundation, Google News Lab and the Online News Association have partnered on this open call for new ideas that use immersive storytelling, such as virtual and augmented reality, to engage audiences and advance the field of journalism. Knight Foundation. The challenge offers up to $35,000 to test, refine and build out a project. Deadline: April 10.
• The Knight Arts Challenge opens on March 29 in Akron, Ohio, Detroit, Miami and St. Paul, Minnesota. We’re looking for the best ideas for engaging and enriching communities through the arts, whether you’re a nonprofit, a business or an individual. Deadline: April 28.
• Community Grant-making. Knight is a national foundation with strong local roots, and relies on leadership from program directors in Akron, Charlotte, North Carolina, Detroit, Macon, Georgia, Miami, Philadelphia, San Jose, California, and St. Paul. We work with 18 other communities as well through local community foundations. Our website tells you how to connect with their efforts to attract talent, expand opportunity and increase engagement in their communities. Always open.
• Knight Enterprise Fund. This is Knight’s venture capital fund. It invests in early-stage companies at the frontier of media and technology that improve people’s access to quality information. Always open.

Applying to opportunities such as the ones above is how most grantees come to Knight Foundation, but you’re always welcome to submit a letter of inquiry with your idea. We recognize that many individuals and organizations have great ideas or successful operations that don’t always align with the areas where foundations focus their funding; it can be frustrating, but please feel free to reach out to us if you have questions.

In addition to Knight Foundation’s funding opportunities, some of our grantees use open calls to advance their missions. Singularity University’s Global Impact Challenge aims to inspire solutions to critical concerns around climate change. Deadline: April 16. Finally, watch for applications to the 2017 8-80 Cities Emerging Cities Champions to open soon. 

For updates, follow us on Twitter @knightfdn or sign up for the @knightfdn email below.

Andrew Sherry is vice president of communications at Knight Foundation. Email him at [email protected] or connect with him on Twitter @andysherry.