News from the Field
Stay up to date on the latest news, trends and perspectives in media and philanthropy.
Learn MoreWATCH: How to leverage philanthropic capital to transform the media landscape
This members briefing was organized in partnership with New Media Ventures and co-sponsored with Philanthropy New York. All members and supporters of Media Impact Funders have the opportunity to initiate and produce issue-related programming for their peers. Learn more about member briefings. This week, experts from industry leaders New Media Ventures and Accelerate Change joined […]
Member spotlight: Heising-Simons Foundation
The Heising-Simons Foundation, a member of MIF since 2016, is a family foundation based in Los Altos and San Francisco, Calif. Awarding more than $900 million since making its first grant in 2007, the foundation focuses on five program areas—Education, Climate & Clean Energy, Human Rights, Science, and Community and Opportunity. With a history of […]
Impact Assessment
Since 2013, MIF has provided resources for funders and media producers seeking to build impact strategies and evaluate the outcomes of media projects. Funded by the Rita Allen Foundation, the Wyncote Foundation and the Knight Foundation, our curated collection of resources includes the latest impact tools and original analyses by MIF staff and leaders in the field, a monthly newsletter that highlights current research reports and articles in popular publications, and case studies of highly impactful documentaries and immersive storytelling projects featured in our annual Media Impact Festival.
Research
As a publisher of original research, we partner with foundations and other organizations to produce reports on the field of media funding.
Learn MoreCommunity Foundations & Media: Funding Data from 2009-2021
This report provides a detailed look at community foundation support for media in the U.S., including top funders and recipients, comparisons of funding across regions, and examples of grants across a range of media subjects. Data is drawn from Foundation Maps for Media Funding, an interactive map developed by Candid that shows philanthropically funded media since 2009. […]
Community Foundations & Journalism: Funding Data from 2009-2019
In October 2019, Media Impact Funders released a major report looking at the state of journalism funding in the U.S. since 2009. Part of that report paid special attention to the increasingly important role of community foundations in the journalism funding ecosystem. This data snapshot provides further examination of community foundation-funded journalism and is an […]
Journalism Funders Network
In the wake of the 2016 Presidential election, funders across the country are leveraging their substantial influence in policy- and grant-making to reposition quality journalism as the central pillar of American democracy. With consistent threats to news media from the political realm, a lingering public distrust in news media created by the hands of “fake news” purveyors from across the globe, and a tectonic shift in news media consumption from print-based to online, the role of journalism has never been so uncertain nor so deeply vital. As such, the journalism funders network is aimed at strengthening connections among members and giving funders ample opportunities to discuss their current work among peers.
Science Communications Network
Media Impact Funders has launched a multi-year initiative to develop resources and connections to help funders effectively support productive public engagement with science and evidence.
Collaborative Events
To help our peers gain a better understanding of media projects, the power of storytelling through documentary films and the impact they can have on pressing social issues, and the importance of funding media, we will work with you to host a special screening or panel at your conference or event.