Colorado Media Project’s Informed Communities Fund supports journalism outlets, community groups, media entrepreneurs and projects that put community listening and information needs at the center of the journalism process — with a special emphasis on better service to communities of color, linguistically diverse communities, low-income rural communities, and others not adequately served, reached or represented.
On November 3, 2021, CMP will open applications for TWO new Informed Communities grant opportunities :
Community News Network: Small, community-based news outlets currently serving a core audience that, because of language, race or ethnicity, and/or geography, is not adequately served by other news outlets in the state are invited to apply for a new, three-year grant that provides operating support for growth and enhanced community service. The total grant amount per news organization may range between $30,000 and $60,000 per year for three years, with funding starting in January 2022.
Advancing Equity in Local News: Guided by calls to action from community members and journalists participating in Black Voices and Latinx Voices working groups convened by Free Press, COLab and CMP in 2021, funding is now available to support projects that address one or more of the following priorities:
Support internal diversity, equity and inclusion capacity-building efforts in Colorado newsrooms;
Strengthen connections and build trust between Colorado newsrooms and the diverse communities they serve; and/or
Support more diverse and inclusive civic news leadership, entrepreneurship, ownership and narratives.
A total of at least $250,000 is expected to be available for Advancing Equity in Local News in 2022, with additional rounds of funding available in 2023 and 2024. The total grant amount per project for most projects will range between $5,000 and $25,000, with potential for more funding for projects that involve multiple partners and/or deliver more impact.
The application deadline for both of these grant opportunities is December 1, 2021. Applicants must be Colorado-based and serve Colorado audiences.
The Community News Network is supported by The Colorado Trust, and support for Advancing Equity in Local News comes from The Colorado Trust, Democracy Fund, Gates Family Foundation and Rose Community Foundation. Funders interested in contributing to the Informed Communities fund can contact Melissa Davis at mdavis@gatesfamilyfoundation.org