Open Call on Infrastructure

Up to $20 million to fund solutions to common challenges in local news. Apply now through 11:59 a.m. ET Jan. 15, 2025.

Program Guidelines
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Cicero Independiente Editor Luis Velazquez sorts bilingual print editions for distribution. Credit: April Alonso for Cicero Independiente

Highlights

Eligibility: U.S.-based journalism support organizations and newsroom-led coalitions and collaborations are eligible. All lead applicants must be 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations. See the guidelines.

Grant size: $500,000 – $1.5 million over three years

Two Phase Application Process. First deadline: 11:59 a.m. ET Jan. 15, 2025

Awards Announced: Late Spring 2025

Why an Open Call on Infrastructure

Healthy communities deserve quality local news – and sustainable, resilient local newsrooms. However, rapid changes have impacted every facet of the news industry, including how outlets produce stories, reach audiences, raise revenue and cultivate talent. At the same time, a dramatic decline in the number of professionals at independent local news outlets has left many dedicated journalists running on fumes.

Local news outlets should be easier to start and sustain. That’s why Press Forward is funding solutions to the common challenges newsrooms face. Through this Open Call, Press Forward is awarding up to $20 million to strengthen the infrastructure of local news, one of our four investment priorities.

We are particularly seeking scalable, replicable or new ideas that will impact the field and address one of the four following areas:

Audience
How can newsrooms attract new audiences, and diversify and deepen relationships with existing ones?

Operations
How can newsrooms share staff or use tools and technology to become more efficient?

People
How can working in the field become more attractive, diverse, inclusive and sustainable?

Revenue
How can local news outlets generate more revenue from a wider range of sources?

Learn more in the program guidelines.

Get inspiration by learning more about how Press Forward funders invest in local news infrastructure.

We are looking for bold ideas that can impact the field.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include:

  • U.S.-based journalism support organizations and intermediaries with a proven track record of deep service to local news organizations
  • News organizations that are working or plan to work collaboratively with other news organizations as part of their grant. Individual newsrooms may apply as lead applicants for a collaborative project with multiple partners that aim to solve a common challenge for the broader field. Collaborations can be at a local, regional or statewide level. For-profit newsrooms or for-profit service providers can be a part of the group, however the lead applicant must be a non-profit organization.
  • Newsroom collaborations, local/regional collaborations and/or a practitioner/university partnerships.

Successful proposals will:

  • Benefit multiple newsrooms and organizations;
  • Build stronger infrastructure at the national, regional, or local level, and/or
  • Have the potential to impact the sector at large.

Read the guidelines.

Join us to learn more