Press Forward Chicago Announces 2026 Education Journalism Grants

CHICAGO (May 18, 2026) – Press Forward Chicago, a funder collaborative dedicated to strengthening and sustaining local news, has announced it is awarding more than $660,000 in education journalism grants to 15 local news organizations.

Housed at The Chicago Community Trust, Press Forward Chicago is a local affiliate of the national Press Forward initiative led by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the Knight Foundation to raise unprecedented resources to revitalize local news. The Chicago fund is supported by a growing coalition of civic-minded individuals, philanthropic leaders, and foundations interested in fostering stronger, economically stable organizations that can serve the information needs of their communities and that will inspire more residents to participate in civic life.

Representing the fourth round of grants from Press Forward Chicago, these funds will support an editorial collaboration focused on covering the first fully elected Chicago Board of Education election, which will include 21 open board seats across the city.

This project is generously supported by Crown Family Philanthropies, IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation, and the Leading From the Front Fund. This editorial collaboration represents phase one of a broader three-year education journalism initiative.

This year, the nonprofit newsroom Chalkbeat will coordinate coverage of these races across geography, language and medium. Together, these media organizations will produce a nonpartisan and multilingual voter guide, report on individual races and candidates, and hold publicly accessible candidate forums. Chalkbeat Chicago Bureau Chief Becky Vevea and Collaborations Manager Robin Amer will lead these efforts.

“Chicago is at a historic crossroads for public education, and residents deserve accessible, trustworthy information about what is at stake,” said Becky Vevea, bureau chief of Chalkbeat Chicago. “We are proud to lead an effort to harness the collective strengths of our partner news organizations and work together so all Chicagoans can cast informed votes.”

“We are excited to partner with funders and newsrooms to provide a comprehensive plan to cover the 2026 school board elections,” said Tracy Baim, Press Forward Chicago executive director. “This project will also include additional supports to amplify the coverage, provide support and training for the media organizations, and give stipends to additional educational reporters to participate in the cohort.”

“The stakes have never been higher for Chicago voters to be informed about education issues in our city,” said Lisa Wiersma, executive director of the IMC Chicago Charitable Foundation. “The school board election will result in 21 new members who are making decisions about a $10 billion budget and the quality of learning opportunities for more than 320,000 students.”

Including this round of funding, Press Forward Chicago has disbursed more than $4.3 million to 37 local news organizations in the Chicago area since 2023.

In June, Press Forward Chicago will announce an open call for its next round of funding. Sign up for the fund’s newsletter at www.cct.org/pressforward.

The following organizations received grants totaling $660,000:

Better Government Association — $40,000
The Illinois Answers Project will contribute coverage on fiscal and government accountability related to the school board election.

Block Club Chicago — $40,000
Block Club Chicago will contribute hyperlocal coverage of candidates using its neighborhood staff reporters and network of freelancers.

Borderless Magazine — $40,000
Borderless Magazine will produce original as-told-to stories — first-person accounts from parents, students and educators at the intersection of immigration, education, and civic life — in addition to Spanish-language vertical video and in-person activations.

CBCAC (Chinatown Spotlight) — $15,000
Chinatown Spotlight will produce bilingual coverage of the 7th District, which includes Chinatown, Bridgeport, McKinley Park, and surrounding areas.

Chalkbeat — $225,000
Chalkbeat Chicago will coordinate a citywide reporting collaborative ahead of the first fully elected Chicago Board of Education races in November 2026. 

Chicago Public Media — $40,000
Chicago Public Media will collaborate with Chalkbeat to develop a comprehensive, bilingual, community-driven voter guide ahead of the election.

Chicago Reader — $40,000
The Chicago Reader will offer explanatory and accountability journalism on the education beat, with a focus on the South Side.

City Bureau — $15,000
City Bureau will leverage its Documenters network to interview community members about the 2026 Chicago Board of Education races and distribute information about the election to communities.

La Raza Chicago — $40,000
La Raza Chicago will produce Spanish-language coverage of the election.

Lucky Jefferson (15 West) — $15,000
15 West will support student journalists in producing original, bilingual, accessible election coverage focused on the West Side of Chicago.

Public Media Institute (Lumpen Radio) — $15,000
Public Media Institute and Lumpen Radio will produce an audio voter resource guide with a focus on South and West Side districts.

Seanchai Media (Board Rule) — $40,000
Board Rule will provide in-depth coverage of the school board president’s race as well as races in select South and Southwest Side districts.

South Side Weekly and Hyde Park Herald — $15,000
South Side Weekly and Hyde Park Herald will produce education-focused election stories in the 6th and 10 districts, which cover Hyde Park and Woodlawn.

Westside Health Authority (The Culture) — $40,000
The Culture will produce enterprise stories and candidate profiles focused on West Side districts, in collaboration with Austin Voice and North Lawndale Community News.

Window to the World Communications Inc (WTTW) — $40,000
WTTW will produce education-focused stories for web, television and video.