Media Partnerships Program Grant

The Media Partnerships Program, funded by the Bush Foundation, supports nonprofit media organizations in Minnesota and surrounding areas. It provides three-year operating grants to enhance news coverage, foster community engagement, and ensure diverse voices are represented. By promoting transparency and editorial independence, the program aims to amplify storytelling that addresses local issues, ultimately strengthening the region's informational landscape. Eligible organizations can receive up to $150,000 in support to further their mission while collaborating with the Foundation.

It requires an experienced community of writers, journalists and storytellers. It requires up-to-date technologies. It requires a strong desire to tell the stories that might not otherwise be told.
We work with nonprofit media organizations throughout the region to support their coverage of news, information and stories that help more people and organizations work together to make our region better for everyone.
By supporting nonprofit media organizations, we also are able to:
Amplify our work and offerings and that of our granteesRaise awareness throughout our grantmaking region about the stories and people doing creative problem solvingHelp people and organizations connect who are working on similar efforts
This program is distinct from our other grantmaking programs. The grants support general operations, and our partners support specific Foundation communications projects.
What We Fund
We then work with each organization to explore possible projects for amplifying our work and that of our grant partners. To do this well, the Foundation and media partner agrees to:
Be transparent about the partnership, benefits and funds involved.Ensure creative and editorial independence. Media partners are not obligated to produce coverage about the Foundation or take particular positions in their reporting.Negotiate reasonable benefits. There is no requirement that benefits must equal the grant amount.
Organizations may receive a total of up to $150,000 in operating support over three years. The annual grant amount is typically 25% of the organization’s expenses, up to $50,000 per year. We expect that to be roughly 10 grants.
Selection Criteria
We are interested in organizations that can demonstrate all of the following to some degree:
The organization is able to reach diverse audiences, which can include age, geography, race and ethnicity, sector or perspectives.The organization is recognized as a trusted, recognized or quality source of information.The organization provides content representative of the communities and audiences it serves.The organization collaborates with others in the field to share and distribute news and stories to more audiences.The organization aligns with Bush operating values.

Eligibility

To be eligible for this program opportunity, all applicants need to:Be a 501(c)(3) public charity or have a fiscal sponsorProvide public services that serve a journalistic, informational or educational purposeBe able to broadcast their content and reach audiences through mass communications like print publications, TV, radio, podcasts and advertisingServe the communities of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota or the 23 Native nations that share the same geography

Ineligibility

Please note that this program is not a fit for nonprofit organizations seeking to increase their own communications and marketing efforts, such as an arts organization seeking funding for a podcast, video or marketing campaign.