Local Journalism and Civic Engagement Grants

Geographic Scope: Central Valley, California

Focus Areas:

• Local journalism and investigative reporting
• News desert mitigation
• Journalism job creation
• Next-generation journalist pipelines
• Civic engagement and leadership
• First Amendment protection
• Misinformation/disinformation countering
• Community watchdog reporting
• Beat reporters for local government accountability
• Education journalism

What They Fund:

• Journalism positions and salaries
• Collaborative investigative journalism
• Journalism training and residencies
• Civic engagement organizations
• News organizations and newsrooms
• Youth journalism development
• Community media outlets
• Educational journalism initiatives
• Public trust in media programs

Impact Metrics:

• 2022 investment created 20 journalism jobs across Central Valley
• Supported over 25 organizations
• Funded innovative programs for next-generation journalists and civic leaders

Key Information:

• Largest one-time investment for local journalism and democracy in JBMF history
• Responds to California's massive loss of daily newspapers (most of any state)
• Focuses on journalism infrastructure and ecosystem building
• Supports community-based and multilingual journalism
• Emphasis on accountability journalism for local government
• Responds to pandemic-era journalism job losses (11,000+ layoffs in 2020)

Contact:

• James B. McClatchy Foundation
• 740 University Ave., Ste. 150, Sacramento CA 95825
• Chief Impact Officer: Misty Avila

Background: Created to address the erosion of democracy through loss of local journalism in the Central Valley. When communities lose local news sources, they become vulnerable to misinformation, partisan polarization, and civic disengagement.

Application Process

Note: Grant proposals are by invitation only. The foundation only accepts letters of inquiry or proposals by mail or email if requested by Foundation staff.

Application Requirements:

Submission Information:

Types of Support:

Past Grant Recipients (Reference):
Black Youth Leadership Project, BreakBox Thought Collective, California Center for Civic Participation, Center for Public Integrity, Central Valley Latino Leadership Academy, Central Valley Partnership, Chicano Latino Youth Leadership Project, EdSource, Faith in the Valley, First Amendment Coalition, Fresno State Center for Community Voices, Fresno State Institute for Media and Public Trust, Fresnoland Media, Hmong Innovating Politics, Journalism Funding Partners: CSUS Journalism, Kern Sol News, Little Manila Rising, DRiP DROP News (Maynard Institute), Parent Institute for Quality Education, PBS NewsHour Communities Initiative - Fresno, Sacramento Area Congregations Together, Sacramento County Office of Education: California Scholastic Journalism Initiative, Social Justice PolitiCorps, The Ivanhoe Sol, The Stockton Record, YDN Nueva Epoca Early Career Development Program, Yolo County Office of Education: Yolo County Youth Civic Initiative