CHICAGO—Six Illinois newsrooms have received grants from Press Forward, the nationwide movement to strengthen communities by reinvigorating local news.
This are among the 205 small, local news outlets—including one in every U.S. state—that are receiving a share of $20 million to close persistent coverage gaps.
Motivated by the extraordinary quality and number of proposals, Press Forward is funding twice as many news organizations as it originally anticipated through its first open call. More than 900 proposals were received.
“We are proud to be part of a bright mosaic of independent, non-partisan sources that are reimagining what local news looks like across the United States,” said Irene Romulo, co-founder of Cicero Independiente.
The other Illinois newsrooms funded by Press Forward are The Triibe, La Raza, South Side Weekly, and Windy City Times in Chicago, and The Kewanee Voice in Kewanee. The media funded include newer nonprofits—some launched as information needs became evident during the recent pandemic—and enduring for-profits continuing to adapt and innovate after a century in business.
“We thank Press Forward for including several LGBTQ+ outlets from across the U.S. in this first grant period, and also several Illinois media properties,” said Tracy Baim of Windy City Times, Chicago’s LGBTQ+ media company.
“The grant that La Raza has received from Press Forward makes us proud and will be key to boosting our editorial activities,” said Jesús Del Toro, director of La Raza. “The support this initiative is giving to media outlets across the country is a clear example of the importance of journalism and the success of philanthropic institutions working together to support local media.”
Some newsrooms are reporting on the vast American countryside—where they are often the only news source for hundreds of miles—while other outlets are covering people of color, LGBTQ+, and linguistically diverse communities that traditional news sources have overlooked.
“The Kewanee Voice is honored to be among the first of the Press Forward grantees,” said Susan DeVilder, the outlet’s managing editor. “When The Kewanee Voice first launched its nonprofit news site in May of 2023, our goal was to fill a news desert in Kewanee and Henry County created by the loss of local news. This grant award will allow us to not only grow and achieve sustainability but to continue with our mission of providing quality journalism, news and information that our community needs and deserves.”