How much funding does Local Journalism and Civic Engagement Grants provide?

Local Journalism and Civic Engagement Grants provides $1.5 million (2022 award); $3.5 million total investment since 2019 in funding.

When is the deadline for Local Journalism and Civic Engagement Grants?

This grant has a rolling deadline or the deadline has not been announced.

Local Journalism and Civic Engagement Grants

James B McClatchy Foundation

Foundation Annual Grants for Journalism Community Services Grants

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Funding Amount

$1.5 million (2022 award); $3.5 million total investment since 2019

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Grant Type

foundation

Overview

Local Journalism and Civic Engagement Grants

Status: Ongoing

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)

Addresses 1,800 newspaper closures nationally since 2004

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.

How to Apply

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:

Invitation required from Foundation staff

No unsolicited proposals accepted

Organizations should contact foundation to express interest

Submission Information:

Mail or email (by invitation only)

Types of Support:

Journalism positions/salary funding

Program grants

Collaborative initiative funding

Journalism residencies

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

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