About Tiny News Collective
To equip visionary news entrepreneurs in underserved communities to transform journalism from the ground up, making it more equitable, accessible and connected, and to nurture a network of independent media founders launching and growing community-rooted news organizations that endure.
Focus Areas
Local journalismIndependent mediaNews desertsCommunity information needsJournalism entrepreneurshipMedia representationProfessional and leadership developmentOrganizational sustainabilityAudience and revenue developmentTechnology and digital publishing
Who They Fund
journalistsnews organizations/media outlets
About Tiny News Collective
The Tiny News Collective Inc uses fellowship roles, micro-grants, and regranting to help new and early-stage local news founders build community-driven outlets. Its recent grantmaking shows a clear preference for supporting journalism entrepreneurship rather than underwriting a single newsroom model: the largest awards in the data went to The Optimist LLC in Saint Michael, Minnesota, and BLCK Press Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota, both for journalism projects. The foundation also backs outlets serving specific communities and places, including Harvey World Herald LLC in Harvey, Illinois; The Pulp in Missoula, Montana; and Atlantic City Focus LLC in Pleasantville, New Jersey. Across the record, it funds journalism projects, scholarship awards, and support tied to startup needs, leadership development, and operational capacity. The grant list includes both one-time and repeated support, with several recipients appearing in multiple years and at different award levels. That pattern aligns with its stated aim of making journalism entrepreneurship more accessible, equitable, and inclusive for small local news founders and the communities they serve.
What Tiny News Collective Funds
A central theme is support for local news entrepreneurship. The foundation awarded $34,855 to The Millennial Black Professor LLC in Wichita, Kansas, for support for journalism projects, and it has also used place-based funding through the Wichita Info Challenge to back new and early-stage local news and information projects in the Wichita area. It also funds newsroom capacity and stabilization. Black by God LLC in Morgantown, West Virginia, received $57,953 for support for journalism projects, following an earlier $37,856 grant in 2024. Another thread is community-centered and identity-specific journalism. The Trans Journalists Association in New York, New York, received $111,257 for journalism projects, showing support for organizations serving journalists and audiences with distinct needs. Technical and business support also appears in the grant record through small grants and professional development-oriented programs.
How Tiny News Collective Gives
Typical awards cluster in the tens of thousands: the p25 is $14,888, the median is $28,046, and the p75 is $39,288. The record also shows a wide spread, from small grants such as $29,821 to The SHOUT in Wichita to six-figure awards like $235,540 to The Optimist LLC. Recipients often appear across multiple years, including Five Wards Media LLC, AC Joseph Media LLC, The Pulp, Black by God LLC, and BLCK Press Center, which points to recurring support rather than isolated one-off giving. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals. Its active programs include unsolicited options in some cases, such as Spark Fund and the Wichita Info Challenge, while the Immediate Needs Fund does not accept unsolicited requests.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$2.4M
Total Assets
$6.4M
Total Revenue
$4.6M
Total Expenses
$3.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $15K and $39K, with a median of $28K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$28K
75th Percentile
$39K
Geographic Reach
National25 states funded
About 2% of grants go to recipients in NJ.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Heather Bryant
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