A Coalition of Funders Launches Press Forward Chicago With $1.6 Million in Grants to 13 Journalism Projects 

Our democracy depends on a thriving free press, serving as a source of information and a voice for communities. Yet, the news media today is shrinking at an alarming rate, leaving millions of people with fewer sources for news, information, and community dialogue. A study by Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism reveals a startling truth — the U.S. has lost one-third of its newspapers and two-thirds of its newspaper journalists since 2005. Chicago, unfortunately, is not immune, ranking among the 20 metro areas that have lost the greatest number of news sources per capita.   

The effects of seismic changes in news revenue and formats have been widespread, and we all feel them through the shrinking breadth and depth of coverage. Amid these changes, Chicagoans enjoy access to a relatively high number of local news sources. Medill identified 108 independent media outlets in our region, but they are under significant financial pressure. Many of these community news entities are creating promising new approaches to delivering essential information while working toward sustainable operating models.    

As part of an exciting national initiative to reinvigorate local news, Press Forward Chicago is joining this effort by bringing new philanthropic resources to Chicago’s news landscape. A local funder collaborative supported by a growing coalition of civic-minded individuals, philanthropic leaders, and foundations, Press Forward Chicago’s inaugural grants prioritize building the capacity of smaller journalism projects operating with budgets under $2 million.    

Here are a few examples:    

• Chicago News Weekly, a publication serving Chicago’s progressive Black community, will use its grant to provide training in journalism practices and ethics.  
• Cicero Independiente, a bilingual outlet serving Cicero and Berwyn, will expand its digital reach and experiment with new revenue streams.     
• Windy City Times will launch new newsletters for Black LGBTQ+ and Latine LGBTQ+ communities to help deepen audience engagement and reach. 
• Additional grants support collaborative investigative reporting and audience engagement efforts, such as the investigation by the Invisible Institute and City Bureau, which just won a Pulitzer Prize for its report on missing Black women and girls.   

Press Forward Chicago is developing opportunities for its grant recipients to come together to share learnings and best practices so that they continue to strengthen Chicago’s news ecosystem and ensure it represents the distinct experiences of our communities. Just as these diverse news sources are finding ways to collaborate, Press Forward Chicago enables philanthropic organizations and individuals to come together to invest in our community information landscape, learn from our local and national partners, and help build a thriving news ecosystem for all Chicagoans.