GRAND FORKS – The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced today that it will invest up to $1 million in an endowed fund to foster an “informed, engaged” Greater Grand Forks over the next seven years through the Community Foundation of Grand Forks, East Grand Forks and Region.
The effort is part of Knight Foundation’s $70 million Community Foundations Initiative, an effort to deepen Knight Foundation’s commitment to ensuring that communities are informed about and engaged in the issues and opportunities that face them.
“Information is an essential community need and community foundations were established to meet core needs,” said Alberto Ibargüen, Knight Foundation’s president and CEO. “They also only exist and thrive because of community engagement and contributions. That makes them ideal partners to help us understand and advance local community engagement, focused on ensuring that these communities have the information they need to manage their affairs in our democracy.”
The new approach will modify how Knight Foundation works in the
“This grant announcement is great news for us and the community-based organizations we work with,” said Kristi Mishler, executive director of the Community Foundation of Grand Forks,
Nonprofits seeking Knight funding should contact Mishler at the Community Foundation of Grand Forks,
“Our goal is to better coordinate and focus our initiatives in the communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers, and use our resources in the most effective way possible,” said
Community foundations make contributions to local groups from funds established by individuals, families, businesses and others to address needs in specific geographic areas. These organizations offer a national funder like Knight the benefit of their grassroots grasp of issues. The grants will help community foundations enlarge their donor-advised funds supporting the work of local nonprofits.
From 2000 to 2007, Knight contributed a total of $69 million to create donor-advised funds at 25 community foundations. At $70 million, this new initiative doubles Knight’s current investment in community foundations.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation advances journalism in the digital age and invests in the vitality of communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. Knight Foundation focuses on projects that promote informed, engaged communities and lead to transformational change. For more, visit www.knightfoundation.org.
About the Community Foundation of
The Community Foundation of Greater Grand Forks manages and develops diverse endowments that generate funding to address the quality of life in our region. The Community Foundation focuses on projects that help build community. For more, please visit www.gofoundation.org.
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