Pro Publica
ActiveArts, Culture & Humanities
NEW YORK, NY2125145250
About Pro Publica
Independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
Focus Areas
Racial justiceHealth carePoliticsCriminal justiceTechnologyRegulationLocal reporting
Who They Fund
local journalistslocal newsrooms and reporting organizationsfellows in distinguished reporting programs
Funding Style
pass-through / subgrant fundingfellowship supportprogrammatic participation/network funding
About Pro Publica
Pro Publica Inc’s recent grantmaking is built around journalism infrastructure: funding local reporting networks, distinguished fellows programs, and pass-through sub-grants tied to reporting initiatives. One of the clearest signals in the record is the large $194,900 payment to City Report Inc for participation in the Local Reporting Network Initiative and a pass-through sub-grant payment under the grant agreement. The foundation also supports newsroom participation in networked programs, including $107,508 to Oregon Public Broadcasting for the Local Reporting Network Distinguished Fellows Program and $105,200 to Deep South Today for the Local Reporting Network Initiative. That pattern points to a funder using grants to support reporting organizations as part of organized programs rather than one-off projects. The grantee list includes both public media and independent local outlets, with awards going to organizations such as The Seattle Times Co, Tribune Publishing Company LLC, Anchorage Daily News, and States Newsroom. Across the recent grants, the emphasis is on local journalism capacity, collaboration, and reporting production in multiple states.
What Pro Publica Funds
A central theme is local reporting network participation. Pro Publica Inc gave $99,200 to Illinois Press Foundation Inc for participation in the Local Reporting Network Initiative, and $76,875 to Capital and Main for the same purpose. Another clear strand is the distinguished fellows program: $104,550 went to The Seattle Times Co for participation in the Local Reporting Network Distinguished Fellows Program, while $67,738 went to Lee Enterprises Incorporated for that same program. The foundation also funds state and regional reporting organizations, including $84,427 to Searchlight New Mexico Inc for participation in the Local Reporting Network Initiative and $70,110 to Mountain State Spotlight Inc for participation in the Local Reporting Network Distinguished Fellows Program. Its portfolio also includes support for public media outlets, such as $99,200 to Honolulu Civil Beat Inc and $95,838 to Oregon Public Broadcasting, both for network initiative participation.
How Pro Publica Gives
Typical grant sizes cluster in a fairly narrow band: p25 is $41,820, median is $61,500, and p75 is $79,950. The recent record shows repeat support for some recipients across multiple years, including The Seattle Times Co, Oregon Public Broadcasting, Anchorage Daily News, Mountain State Spotlight Inc, and Deep South Today dba Mississippi Today. The foundation gives as an operating-style institutional grantmaker rather than to individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Its grants are tied to participation in named reporting programs and network initiatives, with some awards framed as distinguished fellows support and others as pass-through sub-grants.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.2M
Total Assets
$108.1M
Total Revenue
$64.3M
Total Expenses
$45.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $42K and $80K, with a median of $62K.
25th Percentile
$42K
Median
$62K
75th Percentile
$80K
Geographic Reach
National26 states funded
About 7% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
ROBIN SPARKMAN
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