PHILADELPHIA—Aug. 28, 2018—The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has awarded Media Impact Funders (MIF)—a member-supported network of funders who support media in the public interest—a $200,000 grant to identify and expand the number of community foundations, place-based foundations and other funders interested in supporting local news and information.
With the spread of misinformation, deep cuts in local reporting and rapidly declining trust in the news media, there is an urgent need to increase philanthropic support for journalism. MIF, with its longstanding experience in cultivating a growing network of journalism funders and catalyzing their collaboration on a number of important projects, is uniquely positioned to address this challenge.
“Media Impact Funders is grateful for the opportunity to strengthen our efforts to promote philanthropic support for journalism, particularly at this critical moment of great challenge to the free press,” says Vince Stehle, MIF’s executive director.
The grant signals a strong continuing partnership between MIF and Knight Foundation; both organizations are committed to working toward stimulating media philanthropy by encouraging and working with more funders to support journalism and local media. Every year, the Knight Foundation hosts the Knight Media Forum, a gathering of funders and media leaders working to strengthen local news, community and democracy.
“Media Impact Funders will help the growing number of journalism and local media funders advance their work year-round,” said Jennifer Preston, Knight Foundation’s vice president of journalism. “Their research, workshops and programs will extend best practices from the February Knight Media Forum, through MIF’s mid-year Media Impact Forum, and strengthen the network of funders supporting NewsMatch.”
Specifically, MIF research will help nonprofit news sites identify additional potential local funders for NewsMatch, the year-end grant-matching program designed to help nonprofit news sites strengthen their fundraising abilities and base.
About Media Impact Funders
Media Impact Funders (formerly Grantmakers in Film + Electronic Media) serves the needs of media funders working broadly on social issues. Media projects and makers shape and inform public debate, regardless of the issue—from race and justice to the environment to arts and culture and beyond. As a catalyst connecting funders, media makers and influencers and encouraging their collaboration, MIF supports the ever-growing field of media that informs, engages and inspires. Learn more at mediaimpactfunders.org.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy.
Contacts:
Nina Sachdev, communications director, Media Impact Funders [email protected] or 215-574-1322.
Anusha Alikhan, Director of Communications, Knight Foundation, [email protected] or 305-908-2646.