Deadline: August 17, 2022
Do you have new ideas to improve your newsroom’s relationship with your communities through election coverage this year? The American Press Institute (API) is accepting applications from local news organizations for small-project funding to support these efforts.
The grants are being awarded as part of API’s 2022 Election Coverage & Community Listening Fund, a program aimed at empowering news organizations to implement community listening approaches in their elections coverage between now and November 2022. The API hopes these efforts yield important lessons for 2023 and 2024 that can be shared through journalism networks and conversations facilitated by API.
API is primarily interested in supporting projects that seek to shore up trust and engagement among communities of color, and they are designating at least 30 percent of grant funds for ethnic media organizations. They encourage applications from nonprofit and for-profit local news organizations of any medium.
Grant
- Eligible local news outlets can apply for funds in amounts from $1,500 to $5,000 per newsroom.
Eligibility
- All U.S. local news organizations, either nonprofit or commercial, are eligible to apply.
- They welcome applications from news organizations of any size, including daily or weekly newspapers, public or commercial radio, TV, digital-only news sites, or other non-traditional news and information formats, and those serving urban, suburban or rural populations, including specific ethnic, racial or religious demographics.
- They will also consider applications from individuals leading or launching their own news organization or who are working with an established news organization. API will designate at least 30 percent of grant funds for ethnic media organizations.
Evaluation Criteria
API staff will evaluate project proposals against the following criteria:
- The target audience for the project is clearly defined
- The news organization or individual demonstrates the capacity to reach and serve the defined audience
- The project has the potential to meaningfully benefit the defined audience
- The project scope seems achievable within the grant period
- The project, in whole or part, demonstrates the potential to be built upon beyond the funding period (August – November 2022)
Application
Applications are due by 5 pm ET on Wednesday, August 17, 2022. Funding decisions will be made by Wednesday, August 24, 2022, with applicants notified shortly thereafter.
For more information, visit American Press Institute.
