About American Journalism Project
A venture philanthropy dedicated to rebuilding and sustaining nonprofit local journalism by investing in and building digital nonprofit newsrooms and providing grants, venture support, and incubation to organizations that serve local communities.
Focus Areas
Local newsCivic journalismNonprofit media sustainabilityCapacity buildingTechnology & AI for journalism
Who They Fund
local news organizationscommunity newspapersnonprofit newsroomslocal journalists and newsroom staff
Funding Style
revenue diversificationbusiness model developmentcapacity building for sustainability
About American Journalism Project
American Journalism Project Inc backs local news organizations that are working toward sustainable nonprofit models, and its recent grants show long-term support rather than one-off checks. The largest grant in the dataset is $5,456,464 to Free Press Indiana in Indianapolis, a signal of how deeply the funder invests in building revenue and organizational durability. Ohio Local Information Initiative in Cleveland also appears multiple times, including awards in 2024 and 2025, which points to continued support for the same newsroom over time. Other large grants went to Houston Local News Initiative, Chalkbeat Inc, and CalMatters, all tied to the same stated purpose of growing and diversifying revenue for local news. Across the recent awards, the foundation supports nonprofit newsrooms, local journalists, and community-focused reporting organizations through grants aimed at financial resilience, not just editorial output. The pattern fits a venture philanthropy approach: funders are being used to help newsrooms develop business models that can last beyond the grant period.
What American Journalism Project Funds
A central theme in the grant record is revenue diversification for local news. Free Press Indiana received $5,456,464 to grow and diversify revenue and advance toward a sustainable model for local news. Ohio Local Information Initiative in Cleveland was funded again in 2024 for the same purpose, showing sustained attention to financial restructuring. The foundation also supports investigative and public-interest reporting organizations. Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism in Madison received grants in 2023 and 2025, each framed around the same sustainability goal. City-based nonprofit newsrooms are another clear emphasis: The City Report Inc in New York received separate awards in 2024 and 2025, while Chalkbeat Inc in New York was also funded for revenue growth. These grants indicate support for local journalism organizations that are building stronger earned-income and philanthropic revenue streams.
How American Journalism Project Gives
Typical grants fall in the mid-six-figure range, with p25 at $175,250, a median of $238,225, and p75 at $390,000. The recent record also includes several much larger awards, showing that the foundation scales support up for multi-year or infrastructure-heavy work. Recurring support is common: Ohio Local Information Initiative, The City Report Inc, Texas Tribune Inc, Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, and Chalkbeat Inc all appear more than once across recent years. The funder is organized as a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grant language is consistent across awards, centered on revenue growth, diversification, and sustainability for local news organizations.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$54.2M
Total Assets
$66.4M
Total Revenue
$38.1M
Total Expenses
$30.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $175K and $390K, with a median of $238K.
25th Percentile
$175K
Median
$238K
75th Percentile
$390K
Geographic Reach
National29 states funded
About 1% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
SARABETH BERMAN
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