Published on July 31, 2025
Press Forward New Jersey (PFNJ), housed at the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium (NJCIC) and in partnership with the Community Foundation of South Jersey, is pleased to announce the recipients of its first-ever round of grants focused on closing local news and information gaps in South Jersey.
Designed to support communities with limited access to consistent, trustworthy local news, these grants fund innovative journalism and civic information projects that respond directly to local needs. This marks the beginning of PFNJ’s broader commitment to strengthening New Jersey’s local news ecosystem.
Of the seven organizations receiving funding, four are current NJCIC grantees and three are new to the Consortium’s network.
“South Jersey has some of the most persistent local news challenges in our state,” said Chris Daggett, Board Chair and Interim Executive Director at the Consortium. “With this first round of Press Forward grants, we’re not just filling gaps — we’re investing in long-term solutions that center community voices and rebuild trust.”
PFNJ is one of the nation’s first statewide chapters of the Press Forward movement, launched by the MacArthur Foundation and a coalition of funders to reimagine local journalism. Through its home at NJCIC, PFNJ brings together funders, journalists, and residents to fund local news across the Garden State.
The funding for these PFNJ projects has been provided by a generous grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Meet the Grantees
Atlantic City Focus – $50,000
Atlantic City Focus is a digital news outlet serving Atlantic City residents with timely, community-centered journalism. This grant will support expanded editorial and advertising capacity, helping the outlet meet growing content demands while improving operational efficiency.
Comité de Apoyo a los Trabajadores Agrícolas (CATA) – $50,000
CATA, a longstanding advocacy organization for immigrant farmworkers, operates a Spanish-language radio program that provides critical news and civic information to South Jersey’s immigrant communities. This grant will strengthen the program’s technical infrastructure and deepen its collaborative partnerships.
Front Runner New Jersey – $60,000
Front Runner New Jersey is an independent digital outlet covering Black and Latino communities across South Jersey. This grant will fund the hiring of a dedicated staff member to build local relationships, identify underreported stories, grow advertising support, and launch a newsletter to deepen audience engagement.
The Hammonton Gazette – $50,000
The Hammonton Gazette is the weekly newspaper serving the town of Hammonton and the surrounding region. With this grant, the Gazette will expand its two weekly print editions to cover additional communities, including Millville, Buena, and Winslow Township, and will develop digital newscasts to complement the expanded print coverage.
New Jersey Urban News – $60,000
New Jersey Urban News is a digital publication focused on issues affecting New Jersey’s Black and brown communities. This grant will support the outlet’s expansion into Camden by funding a reporter and sales representative, and by upgrading the website to support Camden-specific news and advertising.
The New Town Press – $50,000
The New Town Press is an independent monthly newspaper serving parts of Gloucester and Salem Counties. This grant will help the outlet meet increased demand for print distribution by supporting printing and postage costs, ensuring reliable access to trusted local news for growing readership.
Willingboro Community Development Corporation – $25,000
Willingboro CDC is a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening local infrastructure and community resources. This planning grant will support the development of a new community-driven news initiative, including a local information needs assessment, stakeholder engagement, and a roadmap for sustainable operations.
Learn more about Press Forward NJ and this grant round at: www.njcivicinfo.org/press-forward-nj
About Press Forward New Jersey: Press Forward New Jersey, local chapter of the national Press Forward movement, is a collaboration of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium and the Community Foundation of New Jersey (CFNJ) to encourage the New Jersey philanthropic community to support local news and civic engagement, ensuring that every community in New Jersey has access to critical information and a vibrant media ecosystem.
About Press Forward: Press Forward is a national movement to strengthen our democracy by revitalizing local news and information. A coalition of funders is investing more than $500 million over five years to strengthen local newsrooms, close longstanding gaps in journalism coverage, advance public policy that expands access to local news, and to scale the infrastructure the sector needs to thrive. For more, visit pressforward.news.