DONOR BRIEF
American journalism has been in an industry-wide crisis for well over a decade, with local news struggling for even longer. The funding model for journalism traditionally relied on corporate and classified ad dollars, but those revenue streams collapsed, slowly at first, with the rise of television, and then exponentially, thanks to the internet and social media, followed by the slashing of federal funding for public media and the rise of AI-generated content. The consequences include the spread of mis- and disinformation, reduced civic engagement and a lack of accountability for those in power. The good news is that philanthropy has been stepping up to support nonprofit journalism, local news and public media, and donors at every level can help. This guide offers advice about how donors can support journalism and public media. It highlights leading philanthropic strategies and offers guidance for donors new to this space to get started with their giving.
How can I be most effective as a philanthropist supporting journalism?
Nonprofits are engaged in a range of efforts to support journalism and public media. All this work is important and could benefit from greater donor support. Below, we discuss areas where donors might focus their funding and spotlight organizations in each that represent the kind of nonprofits that donors might consider supporting.
- Support nonprofit local news. Some communities that once had several competing local papers are now without a single daily news source, or have seen their local press come under the ownership of a cost-cutting corporate conglomerate, a politically motivated billionaire or both. While national newspapers have found profitability through subscriptions thanks to the heightened interest in politics starting in 2016, local papers have struggled to find new revenue sources. Many efforts are underway to enable local news to thrive through nonprofit ventures funded by a mix of subscriptions and philanthropic support. The American Journalism Project and NewsMatch both help donors contribute to nonprofit, digital newsrooms throughout the country.
- Fund investigative reporting. While big national newspapers have had a bit of a renaissance in recent years, revenues are still down across the industry. The deeply consequential work of investigative reporting has suffered immensely, as investigative reporting is expensive, time-consuming and often fails to produce the traffic necessary to recoup the investment. Like local news, this may be a better fit for the nonprofit world, where donors can fund essential investigative reporting even if it’s not profitable. Nonprofit outlets doing investigative reporting include ProPublica, the Center for Investigative Reporting and the Center for Public Integrity.
- Back the next generation of journalists. Given journalism’s crisis state, trying to build a career in the news media has never been more difficult. Jobs are scarce, training is often self-led and the pay is meager. Nonetheless, the field remains intensely competitive and elitist. Good journalism requires well-trained journalists from diverse backgrounds. A number of organizations give fellowships, grants and internships to support journalists. Donors can make a difference by giving to nonprofits such as the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, Type Investigations, The Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting, the National Association of Black Journalists and the Center for Journalism and Democracy at Howard University.
Tips for donors supporting journalism and media
In considering which impact strategies to support, donors should take into account their personal interests and outlook to find the best fit. They should also keep an eye out for emerging opportunities to give with maximum impact for journalism and public media. Here, we offer a few insights and suggestions:
- Don’t go it alone. Intermediaries and philanthropy-serving organizations can do a huge amount of the leg work of identifying opportunities in the field, and getting involved with one of these groups is a great way for donors to save time and give more effectively. Notable groups include the Institute for Nonprofit News (INN), the American Journalism Project, Media Impact Funders, News Revenue Hub, Solutions Journalism Network, Lenfest News Philanthropy Network and the Racial Equity in Journalism Fund at Borealis Philanthropy.
- Keep in mind that giving for journalism is giving for every issue you care about. Supporting nonprofit news and public media goes far beyond helping a struggling industry transition for the future. A strong democracy cannot function without serious journalism. As journalism crumbles, citizens become less engaged and less informed, while those who seek power face little scrutiny and accountability. It’s no coincidence that America’s news media and democratic institutions are facing a crisis at the same time.
- Support niche publications. In addition to the general news and investigative reporting organizations listed above, there is a long list of niche interest nonprofit news sites. This is a great way for donors to support both journalism and another issue close to their heart. Those interested in climate change can make a donation to the environmentally focused Grist. Funders concerned with criminal justice reform can give to The Marshall Project or The Appeal. Education funders might give to Chalkbeat. Whatever your philanthropic priorities, there is almost certainly a journalistic project focused on that issue that could use more funder support.
How can I get started making donations for journalism and media?
Donors who are new to this space should take the time to learn about the landscape. A good place to start is by reading IP’s at-a-glance funding landscape snapshot, updated biannually, on Grants for Journalism. For a more in-depth look, read IP’s State of American Philanthropy brief on Giving for Journalism and Public Media. In addition, peruse recent articles that IP has published about what’s happening in this area of philanthropy. Some of the organizations mentioned above, such as INN and Media Impact Funders, also offer reports and articles to help donors understand the giving terrain for journalism and media. Other informative resources include the Columbia Journalism Review and NiemanLab.
But the best way to get started giving for journalism and public media is to make some initial gifts, get to know the work of the groups you’re supporting, and connect early with a funding intermediary that can help you learn more about this giving area and increase your giving in a thoughtful way.
Have suggestions for improving this brief? Please email us at editor@insidephilanthropy.com.
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