Program Guidelines

Download the guidelines: in English or in Spanish.

Press Forward’s first open call will address longstanding inequities in journalism coverage and practice in the U.S. by investing in small, local newsrooms that provide original reporting to underserved communities.

This open call focuses on the following funding priority: Closing longstanding inequalities in journalism coverage and practice.

Press Forward will move resources to newsrooms and organizations that are improving diversity of experience and thought along with the availability of accurate and responsive news and information in underserved communities.

Through this Open Call on Closing Local Coverage Gaps, at least 100 newsrooms will receive around $100,000 each in unrestricted funds over two years.

These program guidelines include eligibility requirements, application instructions, evaluation criteria, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), and more. We recommend that you review this document in its entirety before beginning the application process. All further questions should be directed to grants@pressforward.news.

Applications close on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, at 11:59 pm ET/ 8:59 p.m. PT. Awards will be announced in early fall 2024.

Steps to Apply

Review this document, the Press Forward Open Call Program Guidelines.
Register your organization on JustFund (note: it may take up to 48 hours for your registration to be approved).
Create your organizational profile via the Common Application on JustFund.
Prepare your responses to the three questions and gather necessary additional materials for the Press Forward Open Call on Closing Local Coverage Gaps application.
Submit application by June 12, 11:59 pm ET/ 8:59 PT.

All questions should be directed to grants@pressforward.news.

Eligibility Requirements

This open call will invest in small, local news outlets that provide original reporting to underserved communities. Press Forward aims to reimagine local news across the country and understands that addressing this growing crisis in news and information will require a variety of solutions and models.

Eligible applicants must be local news outlets focused on providing and producing original local reporting.

Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

An operating budget of less than $1 million for 2024
In operation and publishing since at least September 1, 2023
A commitment to editorial excellence, editorial independence, and transparency

Applicants can be:

501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or for-profit organizations
For-profits with an established 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor (note: fiscal sponsor is not required for for-profits to apply)
University or college student newsrooms producing original reporting that is community-facing

The following types of organizations are not eligible to apply:

Outlets in which the majority of content is not focused on local news
Organizations with an operating budget greater than $1 million for 2024
Start-up organizations that have not been publishing since at least September 1, 2023
501(c)(4) organizations

For more information about eligibility criteria, please see the Frequently Asked Questions section.

Grant Awards

Press Forward intends to offer grants of around $100,000 to at least 100 newsrooms.

All grants will be unrestricted. This means all grants will be made with the intention of serving as mission-building, general operating support.
Grants will be awarded in two installments (two payments of around $50,000).
The expected grant period will be two years, Sept. 1, 2024 – Aug. 31, 2026.
Grantees will be required to submit a short report after year one in order to receive the second grant installment.
Press Forward reserves the right to award amounts outside of this dollar range.
Grantees will be eligible for and encouraged to participate in grantee capacity building opportunities throughout the life of the grant.

Key Dates

Date	Milestone
April 30	Applications open. Apply now.
May 9	Information session for applicants. Register.
June 3	Open call Q&A for applicants with Press Forward staff. Register.
June 12	Application window closes at 11:59 p.m. ET/ 8:59 ET
Early fall 2024	Grant awards are announced.

Evaluation Criteria & Review Process

We encourage applicants to review these criteria as they prepare their grant applications, as Press Forward will prioritize applications that demonstrate the following:

Addressing gaps in coverage | We will prioritize organizations that are producing and delivering news and information to underserved audiences, such as communities of color, linguistically diverse communities, low-wealth rural communities, and others not adequately served, reached, or represented.
Community-centered | We will support news outlets that can demonstrate a commitment to community listening and audience research, especially those intentionally gathering audience feedback to guide their work.
Collaboration | We will prioritize organizations that have evidence of strong networks and partnerships with members of their community.
Sustainability | Using LION Publishers’ definition of sustainability as a framework, we will prioritize outlets that are intentional about their editorial impact, operational resilience, and/or financial health. We will support organizations that have a clear plan for how they will use this investment as a foundational step toward developing and maintaining a long-term business model.
Leadership | We will support leaders who reflect the community served, listen to the community, and have a clear vision for how to effectively serve the local news needs of the community.

You can view the evaluation rubric here.

To view the application questions, please see the Application section.

Press Forward will recruit a diverse and well-informed review panel for this open call. Reviewers will provide subject matter expertise and guidance to Press Forward staff on which applicants are best positioned to have the desired community impact. Reviewers will be sourced from the journalism/local news field as well as from philanthropy.

Representatives of applicant organizations are eligible to be considered as reviewers and will be assigned applications to review that minimize conflicts of interest. All reviewers will be offered an honorarium for their time. The list of reviewers will be made public at the close of the grant cycle.

To help fairly evaluate the applications, reviewers will be assigned applications within one of four categories (“budgets” refers to 2024 operating budgets).

Nonprofits

For-profits

· Budgets under $500,000

· Budgets between $500,000 and $1 million

· Budgets under $500,000

· Budgets between $500,000 and $1 million

About the Application

The application process on the grantmaking platform JustFund is made up of three steps:

Register for a JustFund account
Complete JustFund’s Common Application to create a profile.
Submit your application for Press Forward’s Open Call on Closing Local Coverage Gaps.

Here is a link to a step-by-step guide. For application tips and access to additional support, please see the Resources section on page 9.

Organizational profile via the Common Application

Funders outside of the Press Forward coalition will have access to this section.

For support, see an instructional video of the Common Application being filled out here and a PDF of the Common Application here.

The Common Application will ask you to provide information on your organization’s mission and leadership. Under Team Description, Press Forward recommends you address your leadership’s vision for how to effectively serve the local news needs of the community.

Press Forward Open Call on Closing Local Coverage Gaps application

This section will be visible only to Press Forward funding partners.

Please keep responses to each question to 500 words or less.

Describe the current state of the local news ecosystem in your region. How is it served (or underserved) by media and funders? How does your news outlet partner effectively within the local news ecosystem?
Describe the specific audiences your outlet serves and how it serves them. What are the specific information gaps your organization fills? Include examples of how your outlet is focused on providing accessible, local, community-focused journalism.
What would funding from Press Forward enable for your news organization? Please share how this funding will help you strengthen your financial health, strengthen your operational resilience and/or editorial impact.

Additional materials:

*Indicates a required field. All other items are considered optional.

Grant amount requested*: Grant funding is expected to be around $100,000 distributed over two years. If you are seeking an amount less than that, please use the financial need question below to explain your request (note: this is a number field).
Financial need
Attachments
- Current year operating budget*
- Strategic plan or business plan*
- Sample of your outlet’s coverage*
Notes – Do you plan to use these funds to join a journalism support group or hire a service provider? If yes, which one(s)?
Additional attachments: If you have additional information you would like to share, please do so here. You may include multiple attachments and a website link.
- Letter or video (max. two minutes) of support from a member of your audience or a local partner

Resources

We understand that applying for a grant takes time. The following resources are intended to help get applicants from start to finish.

Info Sessions & Application Support

Information Session for Applicants | May 9, 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET. Register.
Open Call Q&A for Applicants with Press Forward Staff | June 3, 11 a.m. PT/2 p.m. ET. Register.

Both sessions will be recorded for those who cannot attend.

Press Forward has partnered with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism to offer all applicants a complimentary one-hour session with a fundraising coach to help fine-tune their application. Register.

Important Tips

Registering your organization on JustFund

If you are creating a profile on JustFund for the first time, you will need to register. When registering your organization, please list Press Forward as the funding opportunity to which you are applying.
If you already have a JustFund profile, you can access the Closing Local Coverage Gaps application on the platform under Funding Opportunities – or via this link.
If you are a nonprofit, JustFund needs to approve your registration before you can apply to funding opportunities. This can take up to 48 hours.

Completing your application

We are looking for s specific information in the organizational profile section via the Common Application on JustFund. Press Forward recommends using the organization and team description sections to address your leadership’s vision for how to effectively serve the local news needs of the community.

Keep in mind that JustFund has limited formatting options. Please keep responses to the application’s three questions to 500 words or less each. You are unable to revise your application once submitted.

Frequently Asked Questions

Open Call Criteria

Why is this open call limited to small newsrooms?

Small newsrooms do important original reporting but are often less likely to be reached by institutional funders and have a harder time getting the attention of donors. In recent years, the number of local news start-ups meeting local needs has grown, and we are trying to meet the field where it is.

What do you mean by “underserved communities”?

Press Forward wants to ensure that local coverage meets the needs of communities of color, linguistically diverse communities, low-wealth rural communities, and others not adequately served, reached, or represented.

What is considered local news?

Our definition for “local” has been adapted from the Local Independent Online News (LION) Publishers membership criteria: “The majority of content must be focused on local news and/or geographically-constrained communities. National news should be written through a local lens or context.”

Press Forward is seeking to fund outlets that are closing coverage gaps by meeting the needs of underrepresented audiences and understands this may look differently in every community.

We recommend you review the criteria above and the FAQs in full to determine if your organization meets the requirements as we are unable to make such determinations.

Eligibility Requirements

What type of organizations are eligible to apply?

Nonprofit and for-profit news outlets with annual operating budgets of less than $1 million for 2024 are eligible to apply. The outlets must be in operation and publishing since at least Sept. 1, 2023.

Can public media apply?

Yes, public media is eligible to apply if the organization meets the eligibility criteria. Press Forward reserves the right to discern if an organization meets the established criteria and will do so on a case-by-case basis.

Can news collaboratives apply?

Yes, news collaboratives are eligible to apply if they meet the eligibility criteria.

Can local Press Forward chapters apply?

No, Press Forward local chapters are not eligible to apply. Locals are eligible to apply for Catalyst Funds. Learn more here.

What if I’m not eligible to apply to this open call?

Press Forward will host additional open calls in the future. In the meantime, we recommend that you register on JustFund and submit your organizational profile to Press Forward. Your profile will be visible to all Press Forward partners. Learn more about this process.

If I apply for this Open Call, am I eligible for future Press Forward open calls?

Organizations can apply to multiple open calls, as long as they meet the eligibility criteria and do not have an active grant from the Press Forward Pooled Fund.

My news organization is located outside of the United States. Am I eligible?

No. This open call is only for local new organizations located and reporting on issues in the United States. U.S. territories are eligible to apply.

I am a local news outlet with a budget less than $1 million, but am part of a parent organization with a budget over $1 million. Am I eligible?

Yes, as long as you meet all of the additional criteria. When applying, please answer all questions pertaining to only the local news outlet and not the parent company.

There are multiple small, local news outlets that are part of a parent organization. Can more than one outlet apply?

Yes – You will need to register on JustFund, submit a unique application and include a note that the outlet is part of a parent organization for each outlet.

I have a great project that is making a positive impact on the journalism space but am not a newsroom. Can I apply?

No, this open call is only for local newsrooms that provide original reporting to underserved communities.

Are IRS 501(c)(4)s eligible to apply with a fiscal sponsor?

No, 501(c)(4)s are not eligible to apply for this open call on Closing Local Coverage Gaps.

Are radio stations that produce local news only part of the time eligible?

This open call is focused on investing in small, local newsrooms that provide original reporting to underserved communities. The key in this instance is original. If your radio station provides original reporting to underserved communities, and meets all the additional required criteria, then you are eligible to apply.

Application Process & Help

I’ve never applied for grant funding. Is Press Forward offering any help or resources?

Press Forward has partnered with the Lenfest Institute to offer all applicants a complimentary one-hour session with a fundraising coach to help fine-tune your application. Register.

How long will it take to complete the application?

The application is made up of two parts: creating your organizational profile via the Common Application on JustFundand answering the three open call questions on the grant application and submitting additional materials. The organizational profile should take less than an hour to complete. For support, see an instructional video of the Common Application being filled out here and a PDF of the Common Application here. The three questions on the grant application may require a few additional hours to prepare.

I have more information I want to share about my organization. How can I share that?

All supplemental information can be shared via the optional “additional attachments” section of the application. You may include multiple attachments and a website link.

Review Process

Who will be reviewing my application?

Grant Application Platform (JustFund)

What is JustFund?

JustFund is Press Forward’s grants management platform partner. JustFund was created to remove traditional barriers in philanthropy and to simplify the grants application process for organizations. The platform offers a Common Application and was designed to save applicants time and give them access to multiple funding opportunities simultaneously.

How do I get started on JustFund?

Visit JustFund to log in or register for an account.

If you have an existing JustFund account, click ‘Sign In’ and login to access the RFP. If you are having trouble accessing your account, reset your password or contact info@justfund.us.
If you do not have an existing account, click ‘Sign Up’ and complete the form. We encourage applicants to register as early as possible to support a quicker approval process.
If you are looking to apply on behalf of multiple registrants, please send an email to info@justfund.us with your preferred email login and the name of the organizations you would like to register for.

I intend to apply on behalf of multiple local newsrooms. Do I need to create a JustFund account for each newsroom?

Yes. If you are looking to apply on behalf of multiple registrants, please send an email to info@justfund.us with your preferred email login and the name of the organizations you would like to register for.

I’ve already submitted a JustFund profile. Do I still need to apply?

Yes. You will be required to answer three additional questions and provide several attachments. You won’t have to create a new profile.

Why do I need to apply if I’ve already submitted a profile?

The Profile Submission opportunity on JustFund makes your profile visible to all Press Forward partners. However, there is no funding tied to the Profile Submission opportunity.

If you are interested and eligible for the Open Call on Closing Local Coverage Gaps, please apply here.

Who will see my organizational profile? Will it be available to the general public?

When an organization creates a profile on JustFund, that profile is also available to all Press Forward coalition members plus the hundreds of donors, program officers, and philanthropic advisors that use JustFund to find and fund new grantees.

Press Forward chapters & additional funding

My organization got a grant from a Press Forward local chapter. Can we apply?

Yes, you can receive funding more than once from Press Forward regardless of the original funding channels (Aligned Grantmaking, Locals, or the Pooled Fund.)

Am I eligible to apply if I have a Press Forward local chapter in my region?

Yes, you are eligible to apply for funding if you meet the eligibility criteria even if you have local chapter in your region.

What do you mean by “local chapters”?

Press Forward Locals are a network of chapters across the country where funders are bringing new donors and foundations together to expand resources for local news. These chapters are an opportunity to create place-based initiatives and move from individual grantmaking strategies toward a shared vision and coordinated action. Chapters will announce their own grantmaking opportunities.

Can I receive funding more than once from Press Forward?

Yes, you can receive funding more than once from Press Forward regardless of the original funding channels (Aligned Grantmaking, Locals, or the Pooled Fund.)

Am I eligible to apply if I’ve received funding through Aligned Grantmaking?

Yes, you can receive funding more than once from Press Forward regardless of the original funding channels (Aligned Grantmaking, Locals, or the Pooled Fund.)

What do you mean by “Aligned Grantmaking”?

The bulk of funding committed to Press Forward so far is being invested through Aligned Grantmaking, where individual funders give directly to local news initiatives.

What if I still have questions?

All further questions should be directed to grants@pressforward.news.