For any community in a democracy, the availability of credible information and its exchange are critical elements for addressing social issues and improving the lives of citizens. Information and news underpin our ability to achieve results we want to see in education, public health, environmental sustainability and other important areas. In essence, none of our communities’ challenges can be understood or addressed without quality information.

Recognizing that community and place-based foundations play an important role as stewards in their communities, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation launched the Knight Community Information Challenge (KCIC) in 2008. A five year, $24 million initiative, the KCIC encourages community and place-based foundations to get involved in addressing information as a core community issue. Since the initiative began, scores of foundations have recognized their ability to advance their particular goals for a better community by strengthening their local media and information ecology. Furthermore, community and place-based foundations who are participating in this effort are seeing how supporting information and media has provided them with a unique leadership opportunity in their community.

In this second annual publication of Reports from the Field, published by Knight Foundation and FSG, we share with you what we’re learning about how communities are becoming more informed and engaged and what roles community and place-based foundations are playing in advancing this effort.

In this report, we highlight: