“Together with our grantees we are reimagining how journalism and local news engages and serves communities’ information needs — especially marginalized communities with little to no access to local news.”
By: Ayinde Merrill, Program Officer
Published on April 15, 2024
I cannot help but be in awe of the work and impact that grantees of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium have had over the past grant cycle.
The Consortium currently supports 46 grantees across the state providing trusted and critical news and civic information to their communities. Projects such as the 2023 Civic Engagement Guide by Atlantic City Focus, the comprehensive and evolving news coverage of Blairstown by Ridgeview Echo, the D.C.-based correspondent delivering regular reports on New Jersey’s developments for NJ Spotlight News, or the nearly 800 community stories collected by the YMCA on the lasting effects of COVID-19 on BIPOC communities that now reside in the Library of Congress highlight the importance of a collaborative and service-minded approach to news and civic information.
Since fall 2023, the Consortium has been working on its first strategic plan to refine its priorities and operations. The team at the Consortium has met and listened to grantees, funders, policymakers and community members to better understand the barriers and challenges in providing, accessing, and sustaining news and information. Through these conversations, we have gleaned invaluable insights into the challenges and barriers that shape our media landscape. Due to the strategic planning process, announcements regarding our 2024 grant cycle were postponed from January to now.
To better meet the needs of both news providers and news consumers, the Consortium has decided to make a shift in its application process for new grantees from one annual open call to a rolling letter of interest (LOI) process. This is in an effort to make the Consortium a more effective and transformative funder. In addition, the Consortium will deepen its commitment to many current grantees through grant renewals as well as additional training and development.
In 2024, the Consortium will award grants in June, September, and December. The majority of 2024 funding has been allocated to grant renewals, with a limited amount to new grants.
We encourage new grant-seekers to submit a letter of interest whenever they develop a project idea. Consortium staff will review all letters of interest within three weeks of submission and may seek additional information. Upon completion of reviews, Consortium staff may invite grant-seekers to submit a full application. In some cases, the Consortium may seek to connect grant-seekers to other resources or partners. Invited proposals will be reviewed by staff, presented to the Grants Committee and, if recommended for approval, considered by the full board.
Together with our grantees we are reimagining how journalism and local news engages and serves communities’ information needs — especially marginalized communities with little to no access to local news. As the news and information landscape changes, we must pivot and change with it. I am excited to continue working with you to address the information needs of communities across the state.
Best,
Ayinde Merrill
About the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium: The Consortium is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that funds initiatives to benefit the State’s civic life and meet the evolving information needs of New Jersey’s communities. A first-in-the-nation project, the Consortium builds on the foundation laid by public media in the United States, and reimagines how public funding can be used to address the growing problem of news deserts, misinformation, and support more informed communities.