Collaborating to build a sustainable future for local journalism that reflects our communities and preserves democracy.
A defining feature of The Lenfest Institute for Journalism Special Asset Fund of Tpf is its sustained support for the Philadelphia Inquirer’s shift from a printed newspaper to an economically sustainable, primarily digital, equitable news enterprise. That multi-year relationship appears in three of the largest recent grants: $7,847,500 in 2025, $7,529,895 in 2024, and $7,450,070 in 2023. The pattern points to long-horizon support for newsroom transition rather than isolated project funding. Beyond that flagship commitment, the foundation backs a broad local-news ecosystem. It has funded Spotlight PA with $2,866,862 in 2024 and $510,000 in 2025, reflecting continued support for statewide accountability reporting. Other large awards went to National Trust for Local News, American Press Institute, Temple University, and WHYY, showing interest in infrastructure, journalism education, public media, and local news capacity. The grant list also includes support for smaller Philadelphia organizations and for news organizations outside Pennsylvania, suggesting a mix of ecosystem-building and direct newsroom support. Its grantmaking sits within a regional scope, but the portfolio reaches across the United States through media, research, and technology-related awards.
Philadelphia-focused civic accountability is a clear thread in the portfolio. The foundation gave $693,859 in 2023 to WHYY for local journalism and related work in Philadelphia, and it awarded $311,500 in 2024 to Resolve Philadelphia Inc. for operating and programmatic support tied to the city’s news ecosystem. Statewide and national journalism infrastructure is another recurring theme. It awarded $1,650,000 in 2023 to the American Press Institute, and $1,765,400 in 2023 to the National Trust for Local News, both aligned with broader media-ecosystem development. The funder also invests in digital and technology-forward media work. In 2025, it gave $475,000 to Cambridge Artificial Intelligence Inc for artificial intelligence work, and it has a dedicated local-news infrastructure fund that subsidizes technology tools and services for publishers.
Typical grants cluster at a median of $25,000, with a lower quartile of $12,875 and an upper quartile of $80,000. The distribution includes a small number of very large awards alongside many smaller operating, project, and capacity-building grants. The recent list shows repeated support for some recipients across multiple years, including the Philadelphia Inquirer and Spotlight PA, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards. The foundation is a pure DAF provider, and its active programs show both invited and unsolicited channels: some initiatives do not accept unsolicited proposals, while the general grants program and letters-of-inquiry channel do. Its public-facing grant programs emphasize local-news sustainability, peer networks, and experimentation.
$15M
$133.9M
$26.1M
$22.8M
Most grants fall between $13K and $80K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$13K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$80K
PEDRO A RAMOS
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Grants are concentrated in Pennsylvania, where 66% of awards go and where the foundation gives most often. Philadelphia appears frequently, with major recipients including the Philadelphia Inquirer, Temple University, WHYY, Federation of Neighborhood Centers Inc, and Technically Media Inc. The list also reaches Harrisburg, Yeadon, and several out-of-state news organizations. Outside Pennsylvania, grants have gone to recipients in New York, California, Washington, Illinois, Minnesota, Virginia, Massachusetts, Colorado, Georgia, and Delaware. All recorded recipient grants are in the United States.
Its active programs and recent grants point to local journalism, civic engagement reporting, digital product and audience development, investigative and public service reporting, technology infrastructure, and capacity building. Recent awards include major support for newsroom transition, local accountability work, and technology-enabled media projects.
Yes. Philadelphia is central to the portfolio, and 66% of grants go to recipients in Pennsylvania. Recent Philadelphia recipients include the Philadelphia Inquirer, WHYY, Resolve Philadelphia Inc., Federation of Neighborhood Centers Inc., and Technically Media Inc.
The typical award is $25,000 at the median, with the 25th percentile at $12,875 and the 75th percentile at $80,000. The recent grant list also includes several much larger awards, showing a wide spread between routine support and major commitments.
Some channels do. The Lenfest News Philanthropy Network Catalyst Grants accept unsolicited applications, and the general grantmaking / letters of inquiry channel is also open. Other active programs, including the local-news infrastructure fund and AI collaborative, do not accept unsolicited proposals.
Some recipients appear across multiple years, which suggests ongoing relationships for selected organizations. The Philadelphia Inquirer received large grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Spotlight PA appears in both 2024 and 2025.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Lenfest Institute for Journalism Special Asset Fund of Tpf that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Participation is free and open to publishers of all sizes and business models; some grant opportunities are limited to active members of the Network.
Who can apply: U.S.-based organizations and projects that align with Lenfest’s mission and stated priorities; Lenfest will not fund projects outside the U.S. or activities to influence elections or legislation.
Deadline: No fixed deadline — LOIs accepted on an ongoing basis when aligned with priorities (subject to staff review).
Who can apply: Local news publishers that use or seek to use supported infrastructure services such as Newspack or BlueLena.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $7,847,500 | 2025 | THE INSTITUTE IS SUPPORTING THE INQUIRERS TRANSITION FROM A TRADITIONAL PRINTED NEWSPAPER TO AN ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE, PRIMARILY DIGITAL, EQUITABLE NEWS ENTERPRISE. A SERIES OF GRANTS WERE MADE TO THE INQUIRER TO FUND (A) HIGH IMPACT JOURNALISM, INCLUDING WORK BY ITS INVESTIGATIVE TEAM, SPOTLIGHT PA AND HEALTH COVERAGE AND (B) NEWS TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCT IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING A GRANT FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ACCELERATION, BRAND DEVELOPMENT, TECHNOLOGY FOR AUDIENCE GROWTH, DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT. |
| SPOTLIGHT PA | HARRISBURG, PA | $510,000 | 2025 | (O) = $10,000, (S) = $500,000 |
| CHICAGO PUBLIC MEDIA INC | CHICAGO, IL | $500,000 | 2025 | (G) = $500,000 |
| NEWSDAY LLC | MELVILLE, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | (G) = $500,000 |
| SEATTLE TIMES COMPANY | SEATTLE, WA | $500,000 | 2025 | (G) = $500,000 |
| STAR TRIBUNE MEDIA INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS COMPANY II | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $500,000 | 2025 | (G) = $500,000 |
| CAMBRIDGE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INC | WELLESLEY, MA | $475,000 | 2025 | (F) = $475,000 |
| FEDERATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD CENTERS INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $325,000 | 2025 | (A) = $130,000, (E) = $15,000, (M) = $100,000, (N) = $80,000 |
| THE HAITIAN TIMES | BROOKLYN, NY | $276,625 | 2025 | (T) = $276,625 |
| NUEVA ESPERANZA INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $237,000 | 2025 | (A) = $75,000, (M) = $162,000 |
| DELAWARE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC | WILMINGTON, DE | $150,000 | 2025 | (L) = $150,000 |
| CIVIC CAPITAL CONSULTING | YEADON, PA | $125,000 | 2025 | (A) = $75,000, (J) = $50,000 |
| WURD RADIO LLC | CHALFONT, PA | $125,000 | 2025 | (A) = $125,000 |
| WHYY | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $120,000 | 2025 | (A) = $120,000 |
| FUNTIMES MAGAZINE LLC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $107,500 | 2025 | (A) = $60,000, (I) = $47,500 |
| PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC ACCESS CORPORATIONPHILLYCAM | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | (M) = $100,000 |
| RUSSELLBRAND GLOBAL ENTERPRISE LLC | WASHINGTON, DC | $90,000 | 2025 | (A) = $40,000, (J) = $50,000 |
| CULTURETRUST PHILADALPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $90,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000, (E) = $30,000, (K) = $10,000 |
| URBAN AFFAIRS COALITION | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $80,000 | 2025 | (E) = $80,000 |
| ECONOMY LEAGUE OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $75,000 | 2025 | (E) = $75,000 |
| REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | (U) = $75,000 |
| NEW MAINSTREAM PRESS INC | BALA CYNWYD, PA | $75,000 | 2025 | (A) = $75,000, (J) = $50,000 |
| INDONESIAN LANTERN MEDIA LLC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $70,000 | 2025 | (A) = $20,000, (J) = $50,000 |
| RED FLAG MEDIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $70,000 | 2025 | (A) = $70,000 |
| PHILADELPHIA TRIBUNE CO | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $70,000 | 2025 | (A) = $70,000 |
| THE PHILADELPHIA CITIZEN | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $70,000 | 2025 | (A) = $70,000 |
| TRACE MEDIA INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $60,000 | 2025 | (A) = $60,000 |
| MASCO COMMUNICATIONS | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $60,000 | 2025 | (A) = $60,000 |
| TINY NEWS COLLECTIVE INC | CHICAGO, IL | $57,000 | 2025 | (A) = $57,000 |
| LOVE NOW MEDIA INC | COLLEGEVILLE, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| IHEARTMEDIA ENTERTAINMENT INC | EL DORADO HILLA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| CONGRESO DE LATINOS UNIDOS INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (E) = $50,000 |
| DAYONENOTDAYTWO | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| THE PHILADELPHIA HALL MONITOR LLC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| CMPRADIO FOUNDATION | CHESTER, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (J) = $50,000 |
| CIVIC NEWS COMPANY | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| BIG PICTURE ALLIANCE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| ORANGE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| TECHNICALLY MEDIA INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| WE TALK WEEKLY LLC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| RESOLVE PHILADELPHIA INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $50,000 | 2025 | (A) = $50,000 |
| WELCOME AMERICA INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $40,000 | 2025 | (E) = $40,000 |
| 2PUNTOS PLATFORM | DELANCO, NJ | $40,000 | 2025 | (A) = $40,000 |
| OUR BIBLE APP | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $40,000 | 2025 | (A) = $40,000 |
| WHY NOT PROSPER INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $30,000 | 2025 | (E) = $30,000 |
| ENON TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $30,000 | 2025 | (E) = $30,000 |
| NEXT CITY INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $30,000 | 2025 | (A) = $30,000 |
| CENTRO INTEGRAL DE LA MUJER TIERRA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $30,000 | 2025 | (A) = $30,000 |
| CEIBA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $30,000 | 2025 | (E) = $30,000 |
| RESEARCH FOR ACTION INC | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $27,500 | 2025 | (E) = $27,500 |
THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
$7,847,500THE INSTITUTE IS SUPPORTING THE INQUIRERS TRANSITION FROM A TRADITIONAL PRINTED NEWSPAPER TO AN ECONOMICALLY SUSTAINABLE, PRIMARILY DIGITAL, EQUITABLE NEWS ENTERPRISE. A SERIES OF GRANTS WERE MADE TO THE INQUIRER TO FUND (A) HIGH IMPACT JOURNALISM, INCLUDING WORK BY ITS INVESTIGATIVE TEAM, SPOTLIGHT PA AND HEALTH COVERAGE AND (B) NEWS TECHNOLOGY AND PRODUCT IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING A GRANT FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION ACCELERATION, BRAND DEVELOPMENT, TECHNOLOGY FOR AUDIENCE GROWTH, DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, AND OTHER TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT.
NEWSDAY LLC
$500,000(G) = $500,000
SEATTLE TIMES COMPANY
$500,000(G) = $500,000
STAR TRIBUNE MEDIA INTERMEDIATE HOLDINGS COMPANY II
$500,000(G) = $500,000
CAMBRIDGE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE INC
$475,000(F) = $475,000
(A) = $130,000, (E) = $15,000, (M) = $100,000, (N) = $80,000
THE HAITIAN TIMES
$276,625(T) = $276,625
CIVIC CAPITAL CONSULTING
$125,000(A) = $75,000, (J) = $50,000
WURD RADIO LLC
$125,000(A) = $125,000
FUNTIMES MAGAZINE LLC
$107,500(A) = $60,000, (I) = $47,500
PHILADELPHIA PUBLIC ACCESS CORPORATIONPHILLYCAM
$100,000(M) = $100,000
RUSSELLBRAND GLOBAL ENTERPRISE LLC
$90,000(A) = $40,000, (J) = $50,000
NEW MAINSTREAM PRESS INC
$75,000(A) = $75,000, (J) = $50,000
INDONESIAN LANTERN MEDIA LLC
$70,000(A) = $20,000, (J) = $50,000
RED FLAG MEDIA
$70,000(A) = $70,000
PHILADELPHIA TRIBUNE CO
$70,000(A) = $70,000
THE PHILADELPHIA CITIZEN
$70,000(A) = $70,000
TRACE MEDIA INC
$60,000(A) = $60,000
MASCO COMMUNICATIONS
$60,000(A) = $60,000
LOVE NOW MEDIA INC
$50,000(A) = $50,000
IHEARTMEDIA ENTERTAINMENT INC
$50,000(A) = $50,000
DAYONENOTDAYTWO
$50,000(A) = $50,000
THE PHILADELPHIA HALL MONITOR LLC
$50,000(A) = $50,000
CMPRADIO FOUNDATION
$50,000(J) = $50,000
CIVIC NEWS COMPANY
$50,000(A) = $50,000
ORANGE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA INC
$50,000(A) = $50,000
TECHNICALLY MEDIA INC
$50,000(A) = $50,000
WE TALK WEEKLY LLC
$50,000(A) = $50,000
WELCOME AMERICA INC
$40,000(E) = $40,000
2PUNTOS PLATFORM
$40,000(A) = $40,000
OUR BIBLE APP
$40,000(A) = $40,000
ENON TABERNACLE BAPTIST CHURCH
$30,000(E) = $30,000
CENTRO INTEGRAL DE LA MUJER TIERRA
$30,000(A) = $30,000