Published on December 18, 2024
12/18/2024 – The New Jersey Civic Information Consortium has announced its final round of grantmaking for 2024, awarding a total of $878,859 to 11 projects that strengthen the state’s news and information ecosystem. This funding supports nine renewal grants, one bump-up grant, and an additional one-off grant to support the transition of a newsroom from a for-profit profit to a nonprofit business model.
The grantmaking emphasis on renewals reflects the Consortium’s commitment to sustaining impactful programs.
“This grant round reflects the breadth of New Jersey’s information needs and the power of collaboration in building a more informed and engaged state,” said Chris Daggett, Interim Executive Director and Board Chair of the Consortium. “We are proud to continue supporting projects that prioritize local voices and equitable access to civic information.”
Renewal Grants:
Clinton Hill Community Action: $75,000 – To further support the Digital Media Center and Citizen Journalism program, to develop and produce community-driven local news.
NJ Council for the Humanities and Journalism + Design: $120,000 – To further support the collaboration with the Journalism + Design Lab at the New School to train and accredit community journalists in community colleges across the state.
NJ Spotlight News: $105,000 – To further the support of a D.C.-based correspondent to provide regular reporting on developments affecting New Jersey for NJ Spotlight News and a collaborative network of newsrooms across the state.
Public Square Amplified: $120,000 – To further support PSA’s Community Journalism Newsroom project, which trains the next generation of journalists to use journalism as a civic tool for community empowerment.
The Jersey Vindicator: $120,000 – To further support The Jersey Vindicator, which seeks to bolster democracy in the state through government accountability reporting that highlights problems and solutions and ultimately changes policies.
Unidad Latina en Acción NJ: $120,000 – To further support Radio Jornalera NJ, an independent media outlet for the working class.
Center for Cooperative Media
- South Jersey Information Equity Project: $30,000 – To expand the South Jersey Information Equity Project from a cohort of 5 to 10 fellows annually and establish an SJIEP community reporting workshop series to further engage local storytellers through intergenerational learning and co-creation workshops.
- NJ News Commons Spanish Translation Service: $50,000 – To further support the work of the NJ News Commons Spanish Translation Service (STNS), which seeks to fill the widening information gap for Latinos by providing translated versions of important statewide news stories that Spanish-language news media would otherwise be unable to publish. This work also establishes partnerships between Spanish and English language news media.
- Research and Development Project: $86,979 – To support a full-time role at the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University, focused partly on news ecosystem research in New Jersey and partly on learning and impact evaluation for the Consortium.
Bump-up Grant:
The Jersey Bee: $20,000 – To further support The Jersey Bee’s ongoing reporting, engagement, and community media training.
Other:
Two River Times: $31,879 – To support the Two River Times with costs associated with its organization’s transition from a for-profit to a non-profit.
About the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium: The Consortium is a first-of-its-kind initiative established by the State of NJ to support the revitalization of local news and information across the state. The Consortium provides funding to projects that meet the information needs of underserved communities, encourage civic engagement, and strengthen local journalism. By investing in innovative and sustainable local news models, NJCIC is committed to ensuring every New Jersey resident has access to reliable and trustworthy community-based news and information.
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