The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is a national private foundation headquartered in Miami, Florida. Established in 1950 by brothers John S. and James L. Knight, the foundation grew from the founders' newspaper publishing enterprise and their belief that informed communities are essential to a healthy democracy. The foundation operates with strong local roots, maintaining a particular commitment to the 26 cities and towns where the Knight brothers once published newspapers.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.5B
+0.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$147.7M
+22.9% YoY
Grant Count
513
+23.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$288K
-0.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John S and James L Knight Foundation reported a distributable amount of $122.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation seeks to strengthen communities by supporting access to information, free expression, inclusive economic opportunity, and civic participation, with the goal of enabling residents to actively shape thriving democratic communities.
The foundation's core belief is that a well-informed community can determine its own true interests and is essential to a well-functioning, thriving democracy. The foundation operates as a nonpartisan and community-centered organization that promotes a healthy and engaged democracy.
Knight Foundation funds four interconnected program areas:
- Journalism – Investing in vibrant journalism for a stronger democracy
- Community Impact – Supporting thriving communities
- Arts – Strengthening creative ecosystems and belonging
- Information & Society – Understanding how we seek and share information
The foundation also operates the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, which works to lead transformational change in college sports to prioritize college athletes' education, health, safety and success.
Grantmaking
Individual grants have ranged from $3,000 to $12 million, with an average award of approximately $270,000 and a median grant of $100,000. Typical awards fall between $2,500 and $12,000,000.
Grant Range
s and Patterns:**
How to Apply
. The foundation periodically issues open calls for proposals tied to specific strategic objectives.
Ready to take the next step with John S and James L Knight Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation maintains a particular commitment to the 26 cities and towns where the Knight brothers once published newspapers. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 40 states, with primary concentration in Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, which account for 43% of all grants. California is also a significant funding region.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $2.53 billion (2024)
Annual Giving: $157.8 million (2024)
Total Revenues: $139.9 million (2024)
Total Expenses: $239.6 million (2024)
Staff: Approximately 62-66 employees
Grant History: The foundation has made 1,751 grants totaling $472.4 million to 672 unique organizations based on available records.
Historical Context: Since its founding in 1950, the foundation has invested over $3.5 billion. Total assets have grown from $2 billion in 2011 to $2.53 billion in 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,533,415,674 | $2,533,365,916 | $2,465,124,931 |
| Revenue | $139,912,312 | $86,858,117 | $66,937,027 |
| Expenses | $239,590,667 | $222,846,065 | $147,423,086 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $179,620,479 | $153,837,774 | $129,925,405 |
| Net Investment Income | $196,118,547 | $135,478,027 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $122,728,376 | $121,666,845 | $133,060,016 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from John S and James L Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation: Arts Grant Program - Knight Art + Tech Expansion Fund
JOHN S AND JAMES L KNIGHT FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $100,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Knight Foundation: Community & National Initiatives
JOHN S AND JAMES L KNIGHT FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Knight Foundation: Journalism Grant Program
JOHN S AND JAMES L KNIGHT FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Journalism Project ($2,000,000), Akron Art Museum ($1,000,000), American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research ($667,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 4WARD MIAMI INC MIAMI, FL | TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS IN KNIGHT FLORIDA COMMUNITIES WITH GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT IN THE 2024-25 FISCAL YEAR. | $23,403 |
| 621 GALLERY INC TALLAHASSEE, FL | TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS IN KNIGHT FLORIDA COMMUNITIES WITH GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT IN THE 2024-25 FISCAL YEAR. | $12,488 |
| 8 80 CITIES | TO RENEW SUPPORT FOR KNIGHT EMERGING CITY CHAMPIONS, A PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES TRAINING, FUNDING, AND CONNECTIONS TO EMERGING LEADERS IN KNIGHT CITIES TO COMPLETE PROTOTYPE PROJECTS FOCUSED ON PUBLIC SPACE AND THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY. | $412,000 |
| ACCREDITING COUNCIL ON EDUCATION IN JOURNALISM AND MASS COMMUNICATIONS COLLEGE PARK, MD | TO INFORM AND TRAIN SCHOOL LEADERS AND BROADEN ACEJMCS MEMBERSHIP. | $30,000 |
| ACROSS MISSIONS INC PALMETTO BAY, FL | TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS IN KNIGHT FLORIDA COMMUNITIES WITH GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT IN THE 2024-25 FISCAL YEAR. | $18,567 |
| AEQUALIS INC LAKE WORTH, FL | TO SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS IN KNIGHT FLORIDA COMMUNITIES WITH GENERAL PROGRAM SUPPORT IN THE 2024-25 FISCAL YEAR. | $19,033 |
| AID FOR AIDS INTERNATIONAL INC NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL OPERATIONS OF AID FOR AIDS. THIS GRANT IS BEING MADE IN HONOR OF GUSTAVO CISNEROS. | $10,000 |
| AID FOR LIFE INTERNATIONAL NEW YORK, NY | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR AIDS RESEARCH AND EDUCATION. | $40,000 |
| AKRON ART MUSEUM AKRON, OH | TO SUPPORT DIGITAL INTEGRATION THROUGHOUT THE MUSEUM VIA IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DIGITAL INTEGRATION PLAN, THE CREATION OF THE KNIGHT CENTER FOR DIGITAL DISCOVERY, AND RELATED UPGRADES TO TECHNICAL INFRASTRUCTURE. | $1,000,000 |
| AKRON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AKRON, OH | TO SUPPORT THE FOUNDATION'S MISSION VIA THE HOOD FAMILY FUND. | $65,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Juan Martinez is identified as the principal officer of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FRANK BORGES | CHAIRMAN AND TRUSTEE THROUGH 3/2024 | 2 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER M AUSTEN | CHAIRMAN AND TRUSTEE EFFECTIVE 3/2024 | 2 | — |
| MARTIN BARON | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| STEPHANIE BELL-ROSE | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| SHONA BROWN | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| ADRIANA M CISNEROS | TRUSTEE | 2 | $40,000 |
| AUSTIN CLEMENTS | TRUSTEE | 2 | $40,000 |
| ANA-MARIE CODINA | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| RAMONA HOOD | TRUSTEE | 2 | $40,000 |
| SUSAN D KRONICK | TRUSTEE THROUGH 3/2024 | 2 | — |
| MICHAEL MARSICANO | TRUSTEE | 2 | $40,000 |
| CHRISTINE AMER MAYER | TRUSTEE | 2 | $45,000 |
| ANNA SPANGLER NELSON | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| CHARLES FRANK OLSON | TRUSTEE | 2 | $40,000 |
| MATTHEW STEPHEN STEPKA | TRUSTEE | 2 | $40,000 |
| MARIBEL PEREZ WADSWORTH | PRESIDENT & CEO | 40 | $875,960 |
| JAMES M BRADY | VP/JOURNALISM | 40 | $319,491 |
| TERESE CURIEL | VP/ADMIN & SECRETARY | 40 | $330,493 |
| ALEJANDRO DE ONIS | VP/COMMS. & DIGITAL STRAT. | 40 | $268,659 |
| KELLY JIN | VP/COMMUNITIES & NAT'L | 40 | $352,200 |
| JORGE MARTINEZ | VP/CTO | 40 | $287,819 |
| JUAN J MARTINEZ | VP/CFO & TREASURER | 40 | $396,309 |
| ROSHELL RINKINS | VP/GRANT ADMIN & CDEIO THROUGH 10/2024 | 40 | $230,830 |
| VICTORIA ROGERS | VP/ARTS | 40 | $323,686 |
| ASHLEY ZOHN | VP/LEARNING & IMPACT | 40 | $312,082 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made several significant grants in recent years supporting journalism and community initiatives:
Journalism Funding Partners Receives $220,000 Grant From Knight Foundation\FRONTLINE received a new grant for a local journalism initiative
FRONTLINE Receives New Grant from Knight Foundation for Local ...Big Local News received $3.9 million to strengthen local data journalism infrastructure
FRONTLINE Receives New Grant from Knight Foundation for Local ...The Center for Cooperative Media received $2.5 million to expand collaborative journalism nationwide
Center For Cooperative Media Receives $2.5M Knight Foundation ...Saint Paul Libraries received a transformative investment from the foundation
Knight Foundation Makes Transformative Investment in Saint Paul ...Journalism Funding Partners received $220,000 in grant support
Journalism Funding Partners Receives $220,000 Grant From Knight Foundation\The foundation continues to invest in local journalism, arts and culture, and community development across its priority communities, with particular emphasis on supporting informed and engaged communities essential for a healthy democracy.
FRONTLINE Receives New Grant from Knight Foundation for Local ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does John S and James L Knight Foundation fund?
The foundation seeks to strengthen communities by supporting access to information, free expression, inclusive economic opportunity, and civic participation, with the goal of enabling residents to actively shape thriving democratic communities. The foundation's core belief is that a well-informed community can determine its own true interests and is essential to a well-functioning, thriving democracy. The foundation operates as a nonpartisan and community-centered organization that promotes a h…
How do I apply for a grant from John S and James L Knight Foundation?
**Grant Sizes and Patterns:** Individual grants have ranged from $3,000 to $12 million, with an average award of approximately $270,000 and a median grant of $100,000. Typical awards fall between $2,500 and $12,000,000. **Approach:** The foundation operates with flexibility and adaptability in its grantmaking. Most grants are aligned to defined strategies and emerge through research, relationships, and ongoing collaboration rather than an always-open application process. The foundation periodic…
Where does John S and James L Knight Foundation make grants?
The foundation maintains a particular commitment to the 26 cities and towns where the Knight brothers once published newspapers. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 40 states, with primary concentration in Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, which account for 43% of all grants. California is also a significant funding region.
What size grants does John S and James L Knight Foundation award?
In 2024, John S and James L Knight Foundation awarded 513 grants totaling $147.7M — an average of about $288K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is John S and James L Knight Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John S and James L Knight Foundation reported a distributable amount of $122.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John S and James L Knight Foundation's EIN?
John S and James L Knight Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-0464177. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in John S and James L Knight Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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