MIAMI (July 30, 2025) – Twenty community leaders from eight cities across the United States (Detroit, Akron, Philadelphia, Miami, Charlotte, San Jose, St. Paul, Macon) have been selected to participate in the 2025-2026 Knight Emerging City Champions fellowship program. Launched in 2015, Knight Emerging City Champions is a fellowship and micro-grant program for young civic innovators with bold ideas that strengthen trust and community connection, foster creative expression and build local resilience.
The program is powered by 8 80 Cities with funding from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
The fellowship is open to U.S. residents aged 18-35 with an innovative project idea and the drive to see it through in one of Knight Foundation’s eight resident communities.
The 20 Champions will receive $5,000 in seed funding to implement one community project within a one-year period in their cities. Each winner will also receive a $500 tech bundle to support their project activities. The chosen projects respond to community needs, build on local assets and are brought to life through strong local collaboration.
“Emerging civic leaders have the creativity, urgency and commitment to reimagine how communities thrive,” said Francesca de Quesada Covey, Knight Foundation’s vice president of community impact. “Through the KECC program, Knight is investing in their leadership because we see their potential to lead change. By backing their ideas and elevating their work, we aim to spark solutions that take root locally and grow to strengthen civic life across communities.
The KECC program was created to resource emerging leaders with the funding and training necessary to turn their ideas into action. Now in its eighth cohort, the program has catalyzed more than 130 public space and civic engagement projects in communities across eight Knight cities. Projects have included everything from beehives and mentorship programs to mobility advocacy efforts. KECC supports fresh, community-led approaches to urban challenges—helping participants build on existing efforts or launch new ideas to improve their neighborhoods and shared spaces.
“We’re thrilled to announce the winners of another standout year for the Emerging City Champions Fellowship. This year’s cohort once again demonstrates the tremendous creativity, innovation, and capacity that already exists in the hearts and minds of young people in their communities. We are excited to help support these city champions bring their bold project ideas to life,” said Amanda O’Rourke, executive director of 8 80 Cities.
The 20 participants will meet in Toronto, Canada, from August 14 to 16 for the Knight Emerging City Champions Studio. The Studio is an immersive, three-day learning experience that includes city tours and meetings with grassroots community leaders. Champs will have the opportunity to build relationships with alumni and peers as well as work through their project ideas with support and coaching from 8 80 Cities and tech partner, Helpful Places.
For the rest of the fellowship year, there will be ongoing virtual learning labs and monthly meetups to support peer-to-peer learning and capacity building.
The 2025-2026 Knight Emerging City Champions will begin implementing their projects after returning home from Toronto. In one year, their cities will see new or enhanced neighborhood programs, community events, interactive public art, and vibrant public spaces that strengthen community connections and inspire long-term investment in civic systems.
More information is available at www.emergingcitychampions.org.