WATCH: The 2020 Journalism Funders Gathering

Last week, we convened our peers for our annual journalism funders gathering to discuss some of the most pressing issues facing journalism—and our nation—today. We hope that our two days of programming and breakout sessions introduced you to new people, new ideas, and a new way forward. We are so grateful to the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation and Independence Public Media Foundation for sponsoring our first online journalism funders conference. (And special thanks to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, and the Rita Allen Foundation for their support.) Zoom fatigue is real, and we are that much more grateful for the network’s participation our virtual format. We also know that many of you are juggling work and other family responsibilities, whether it’s your kids’ remote learning or caring for a loved one. Because of that, we’ve recorded all of our plenary discussions so that you can watch them at a time that’s more convenient for you. As we grapple with seemingly growing efforts to spread lies online, persistent issues preventing the advancement of newsroom culture, and what we need to do now to ensure a more equitable media ecosystem in the future, we hope you’ll… Read More

Media Impact Funders (MIF)—which advances and catalyzes the work of a diverse range of funders committed to media that informs, engages and inspires—has received a three-year, $300,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to advance the goals of its Journalism Funders Network. A diverse group of philanthropy organizations working in journalism and media, the Journalism Funders Network works to increase—and improve the efficiency of—philanthropic investments in media in the United States through convenings, reports and other field-building work. Read More

Media philanthropy is a growing force on the global stage, with foundation support increasing significantly in recent years, more than doubling from $915 million in 2009 to $1.9 billion in 2015, the last year for which complete figures were available. Altogether, media grants amounted to about $9.9 billion in that span, according to a new report from Media Impact Funders—Global Media Philanthropy: What Funders Need to Know About Data, Trends and Pressing Issues Facing the Field. Read More

As the world faces extraordinary challenges and ever more interconnected economic, social and communications systems, we know that media plays a key role in addressing and shaping the most pressing issues of our time—making global media philanthropy increasingly important. From supporting local reporting and protecting freedom of expression to improving health through public service radio campaigns and ensuring equitable internet access, media philanthropy impacts which communities have a voice, the quality of available information, and the kinds of stories we share. Understanding this global media funding landscape is critical for the philanthropic sector. While the funding landscape for U.S.-based philanthropies investing in media is well-documented, the picture for international philanthropy is far less clear. To help shed some light, we are pleased to share our new report, Global Media Philanthropy: What Funders Need to Know About Data, Trends and Pressing Issues Facing the Field. Written by Sarah Armour-Jones and Jessica Clark, consultants to Media Impact Funders, the research draws on data from our media grants data map, results from a survey of leading organizations engaged in funding media-related projects around the world, analyses of existing literature and reports, and insights offered by experts across a range of media funding… Read More

Parachuting in is out. That’s one key takeaway from a new report from Media Impact Funders that we’re excited to release this week: Global Media Philanthropy: What Funders Need to Know About Data, Trends and Pressing Issues Facing the Field. Produced with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, this scan of global media philanthropy synthesizes many months of interviews, surveys and analyses on our part, as well as offering trenchant perspectives from experts working across the globe. Read More

The global media funding ecosystem has evolved dramatically over the last 20 years, largely in response to tectonic shifts in how people around the world consume, produce and share information. Revolutions in information and communication technologies have enabled the rise of new platforms that are competing with legacy media and threatening the business models of established media institutions. Around the globe, philanthropy plays a crucial role in supporting a variety of diverse media-related initiatives, including strengthening media institutions, improving democratic processes, raising awareness and advocacy through public service radio campaigns addressing health issues, ensuring equitable access to communication technologies, and protecting freedom of expression. Read More

Philanthropy plays a crucial role in supporting media that improves democratic processes. The exercise of free expression and the financial support that make it possible are especially needed in places that lack press freedom protections. Around the globe, media funders have been keeping an eye on troubling global trends and potential threats to democracy, journalism and free speech. Read More