The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced Monday that Charlottesville Tomorrow is among the first newsrooms in the country to receive a grant as part of Press Forward, a national initiative to strengthen communities and democracy by supporting local news.
Charlottesville Tomorrow will receive $350,000 from the MacArthur Foundation over three years, supporting its mission to provide more people in central Virginia with access to and representation in local news.
The investment provides critical assistance to Charlottesville Tomorrow’s plans to include more of the community in its coverage and builds on generous local support for expanding news and information needs in the region.
“This past year, we’ve shown what’s possible, even with a small staff, in a way that Press Forward funders have recognized,” said Charlottesville Tomorrow’s CEO and Editor-in-Chief Angilee Shah. “Our reporting has moved voters to participate and policymakers to better hear those most impacted by their decisions. It has brought new voices into our community conversations and helped new and longtime residents better understand their neighborhoods and their neighbors. The MacArthur Foundation’s grant will help us continue to grow and sustain this essential work.”
Press Forward will support local news and information with an infusion of more than $500 million dollars over the next five years.
“Journalism, particularly local journalism, is the fabric of our democracy, the medium through which we strengthen communities, tell stories that build shared understanding, and hold power to account,” said MacArthur President John Palfrey.
The MacArthur Foundation’s newly announced grantmaking strategy includes an initial release of $48 million to support local news, in alignment with Press Forward. In this first group, other grantees in the southeast are 100 Days in Appalachia in West Virginia and Enlace Latino NC in North Carolina.
Charlottesville Tomorrow is also the recipient of support from other Press Forward funding partners, including the Ford Foundation, and Democracy Fund.
“These newsrooms inspire us and countless others with community-centered reporting and a focus on well-being for their organization and staff,” said Christine Schmidt, Senior Program Associate at Democracy Fund in its announcement of funding.
Charlottesville Tomorrow Board Chair Jacqueline Salmon said these foundations recognize the organization’s years of work in central Virginia to build local news.
“Support from the Ford Foundation, Democracy Fund and MacArthur Foundation is a direct result of our community’s longtime commitment to local, independent journalism,” said Salmon. “It’s a call to action for us to continue to broaden Charlottesville Tomorrow’s reach so everyone has access to more free, high-quality local journalism that facilitates their participation in our democracy and our community.”
Read the MacArthur Foundation announcement and see the other grantees. Learn more about Press Forward.
If you have questions about the MacArthur Foundation’s grant, or Charlottesville Tomorrow, please contact Development Director Michaux Hood at mhood [at] cvilletomorrow.org.
Want to talk about Charlottesville Tomorrow’s future? Find a time with CEO Angilee Shah here.
Charlottesville Tomorrow, founded in 2005, is a nonprofit, community-driven, socially conscious news organization. We serve our neighbors by connecting them to each other and to the issues that affect them most. Learn more about Charlottesville Tomorrow.
