A 501(c)(3) public charity that supports independent journalism and provides fiscal sponsorship to journalistic and media projects.
Alternative Newsweekly Foundation’s recent grantmaking is defined by support for independent journalism that also funds project fulfillment and the Transformation Tech participant pipeline. Its largest listed 2025 grant went to Chicago News Weekly LLC for BIPOC storytelling and community news, while another major award supported Arkansas Times Limited Partnership for project fulfillment and a Transformation Tech participant role. The pattern points to a funder that backs newsroom production, capacity-building, and participant-based project work rather than general philanthropy alone. The foundation also works across a wide range of local and regional media outlets. Grants in the list reach community publishers, newsweeklies, and digital media organizations in places such as Eugene, Portland, Seaside, and Charlotte, alongside California recipients including San Jose, Cathedral City, Sacramento, and Hollister. Several awards are explicitly tied to Transformation Tech participation, showing a repeated emphasis on training-linked support for media projects. This structure fits its stated role as a public charity supporting independent journalism and fiscally sponsoring journalistic and media projects. The grant record shows a mix of direct newsroom support and project-specific funding for organizations serving BIPOC communities and local audiences.
BIPOC storytelling is a visible part of the foundation’s portfolio. In 2025, it gave $190,625 to Chicago News Weekly LLC for “BIPOC storytelling & community news,” linking larger support to content serving communities of color. Community news and local journalism appear across multiple grants. Oregon Journalism Project received $57,115 for project fulfillment, while Monterey County Weekly was awarded $44,788 for the same purpose, showing support for publication work tied to specific deliverables. The foundation also funds media capacity and training through Transformation Tech participant grants. Examples include $40,000 to La Noticia Inc in Charlotte and $20,000 to Isthmus Community Media Inc in Madison, both identified as Transformation Tech participants. Those awards suggest an interest in helping media groups build project execution and technical skills. Project fulfillment is another recurring theme, with grants tied directly to completing assigned media work rather than open-ended operating support.
$3.9M
$1.4M
$5.5M
$6.1M
Most grants fall between $20K and $20K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$20K
About 2% of grants go to recipients in CA.
ELLEN J MEANY
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Typical award size is tightly clustered: p25, median, and p75 are all $20,000. That concentration suggests many grants are set at a standard level, with a smaller number of larger project awards. The recent list also shows both one-off awards and repeated participation in the same program category, especially Transformation Tech participant grants across multiple organizations. The foundation is a regular funder and a public charity, not a DAF sponsor or PRI maker. Its profile includes fiscal sponsorship, which aligns with the project-based funding pattern visible in the grants list. The available recent-grants data does not show individual applications or an open solicitation process.
Grantmaking is national, with all listed recipient-country data in the United States. California stands out as the top state by grant count, and the recent list includes recipients in San Jose, Cathedral City, Sacramento, Hollister, Bakersfield, Seaside, and San Luis Obispo. Outside California, grants also reach Chicago, Little Rock, Portland, Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, Baltimore, and Madison. Recipients in the HQ state of DC account for 2% of grants.
The foundation funds independent journalism, fiscal sponsorship for journalistic and media projects, BIPOC storytelling, community news, and project fulfillment. The recent grants list also shows repeated support for Transformation Tech participants, linking funding to project execution and skills-building in media work.
The typical grant size is $20,000, with p25, median, and p75 all at that level. That means most listed awards sit at a standard amount, even though a few larger grants appear in the recent data.
California is the top state by grant count. Recent California recipients include organizations in San Jose, Cathedral City, Sacramento, Hollister, Bakersfield, Seaside, and San Luis Obispo, showing a broad spread within the state.
Yes. The grant record repeatedly names Transformation Tech participant awards and project fulfillment awards. Those patterns show a consistent preference for project-based support and capacity-building rather than only unrestricted operating grants.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHICAGO NEWS WEEKLY LLC | CHICAGO, IL | $190,625 | 2025 | BIPOC STORYTELLING & COMMUNITY NEWS |
| ARKANSAS TIMES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $134,763 | 2025 | PROJECT FUFILLMENT AND TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| WHAT'S HAPPENING INC | EUGENE, OR | $118,445 | 2025 | PROJECT FUFILLMENT AND TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| BIG LOU HOLDINGS | ST LOUIS, MO | $80,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| MILESTONE COMMUNICATIONS INC | SEASIDE, CA | $71,620 | 2025 | PROJECT FUFILLMENT AND TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| OREGON JOURNALISM PROJECT | PORTLAND, OR | $57,115 | 2025 | PROJECT FULLFILLMENT |
| CHICO COMMUNITY PUBLISHING INC | SACRAMENTO, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| I MESSENGER MEDIA LLC | DALLAS, TX | $40,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| ALIANZA METROPOLIAN NEWS LLC | SAN JOSE, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| LA NOTICIA INC | CHARLOTTE, NC | $40,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT LLC | CATHEDRAL CITY, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| EL POPULAR INC | BAKERSFIELD, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| AL DIA EN AMERICA LLC | LOUISVILLE, KY | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER | BAKERSFIELD, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| AFRO AMERICAN CO OF BALTIMORE CITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| CFCG LLC | TAMPA, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| BENITOLINK INC | HOLLISTER, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| TINY NEWS COLLECTIVE INC | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| CHE NEWSPAPERS | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| ADAMS STREET PUBLISHING CO | TOLEDO, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| CITY OF ROSES MEDIA CO | PORTLAND, OR | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| BI-ADS INC | FORT LAUDERDALE, FL | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| LATIN OPINION LLC | BALTIMORE, MD | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| CAROLINIAN PUBLISHING GROUP LLC | RALEIGH, NC | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| GARZA DEWAELSCHE ENTERPRISES INC | DETROIT, MI | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| DEL VALLE INFORMADOR INC | THERMAL, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| EL INFORMAFOR LLC | MOUNT PLEASANT, SC | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| EPIC MANAGEMENT SERVICES | ST LOUIS, MO | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| HISPANIC COMMUNICATIONS LLC | NEW HAVEN, CT | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| CULTURA MEDIA LLC | CASPER, WY | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| BENBASSAT DIGITAL CONSULTANTS LL 2 | GREENSBORO, NC | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| BALTIMORE BEAT INC | BALTIMORE, MD | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| AZUL615 INC | MADISON, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| DALLAS OBSERVER LP | DALLAS, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| DMI INFORMATION PROCESSING CENTER INC | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| BUCKEYE REVIEW PUBLISHING | YOUNGSTOWN, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| FORWARD TIMES PUBLISHING CO INC | HOUSTON, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| DA CAPO PUBLISHING INC | BURLINGTON, VT | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| FW PUBLISING LLC | NASHVILLE, TN | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| CORINTH COMMUNICATIONS INC | DALLAS, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| FOCUS ON THE WORD INC | INGLEWOOD, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| CLUB DEPORTESCOM | AUSTIN, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| HAILES ENTERPRISES INC | COLUMBUS, GA | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| HISPANIC MARKETING SOLUTIONS LLC | HOWELL, MI | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| DENVER WESTWARD LLC | DENVER, CO | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| EL DIARIO LLC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| EL LATINO AMERICAN | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| JOLT NEWS ORGANIZATION | TUMWATER, WA | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| LESLIE MEDIA LLC | IRVING, TX | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
| BENBASSAT DIGITAL NCLA | GREENSBORO, NC | $20,000 | 2025 | TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT |
CHICAGO NEWS WEEKLY LLC
$190,625BIPOC STORYTELLING & COMMUNITY NEWS
ARKANSAS TIMES LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
$134,763PROJECT FUFILLMENT AND TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
WHAT'S HAPPENING INC
$118,445PROJECT FUFILLMENT AND TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
BIG LOU HOLDINGS
$80,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
MILESTONE COMMUNICATIONS INC
$71,620PROJECT FUFILLMENT AND TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
OREGON JOURNALISM PROJECT
$57,115PROJECT FULLFILLMENT
CHICO COMMUNITY PUBLISHING INC
$40,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
I MESSENGER MEDIA LLC
$40,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
ALIANZA METROPOLIAN NEWS LLC
$40,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
LA NOTICIA INC
$40,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
COACHELLA VALLEY INDEPENDENT LLC
$40,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
EL POPULAR INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
AL DIA EN AMERICA LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
BAKERSFIELD NEWS OBSERVER
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
AFRO AMERICAN CO OF BALTIMORE CITY
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
CFCG LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
BENITOLINK INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
TINY NEWS COLLECTIVE INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
CHE NEWSPAPERS
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
ADAMS STREET PUBLISHING CO
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
CITY OF ROSES MEDIA CO
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
BI-ADS INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
LATIN OPINION LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
CAROLINIAN PUBLISHING GROUP LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
GARZA DEWAELSCHE ENTERPRISES INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
DEL VALLE INFORMADOR INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
EL INFORMAFOR LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
EPIC MANAGEMENT SERVICES
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
HISPANIC COMMUNICATIONS LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
CULTURA MEDIA LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
BENBASSAT DIGITAL CONSULTANTS LL 2
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
BALTIMORE BEAT INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
AZUL615 INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
DALLAS OBSERVER LP
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
DMI INFORMATION PROCESSING CENTER INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
BUCKEYE REVIEW PUBLISHING
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
FORWARD TIMES PUBLISHING CO INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
DA CAPO PUBLISHING INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
FW PUBLISING LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
CORINTH COMMUNICATIONS INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
FOCUS ON THE WORD INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
CLUB DEPORTESCOM
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
HAILES ENTERPRISES INC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
HISPANIC MARKETING SOLUTIONS LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
DENVER WESTWARD LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
EL DIARIO LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
EL LATINO AMERICAN
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
JOLT NEWS ORGANIZATION
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
LESLIE MEDIA LLC
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT
BENBASSAT DIGITAL NCLA
$20,000TRANSFORMATION TECH PARTICIPANT