This upcoming grant cycle will invest in a diverse range of roles in North Carolina’s civic infrastructure, including journalists, community organizers, health workers, storytellers, and a wide range of trusted communicators. Existing grant partners and new applicants are each eligible for support. The Fund plans to distribute this second round of grants by October so grantees have resources readily available to deliver useful information that helps their communities participate in our democracy this year and beyond.
“Local news and community organizations provide a level of relevant, nuanced, actionable reporting that helps us stay healthy, informed, and engaged,” said Lizzy Hazeltine, Director of the North Carolina Local News Lab Fund. “But this essential function is only possible when organizations have the funding, support, and capacity to make an impact in their communities.”
This latest round of grant applications will open on July 8 and close on August 8 at 12pm ET. The Fund will award general operating grants between $10,000 to $40,000 to news and community organizations that fill reporting needs, expand information access, challenge dominant narratives, and activate the stories and storytellers of North Carolina. General operating grants will provide organizations with flexibility to address their communities’ current and emerging needs.
Application questions are already posted on our site, along with details about how to get access to the application portal. More information about the criteria, the application, and other details about applying for this grant cycle are available here in English and Spanish.
On July 11 at 1pm ET, the Fund will host a Q&A session to discuss grant eligibility, the application process, the review process, and more. Register for the Q&A session here.
Lizzy Hazeltine, Fund Director, and Jagmeet Mac, Associate Director, are also available for office hours with grant seekers as they prepare to apply.
Organizations that have not received a grant from the Fund this year should fill out this form to gain access to the application portal.
Since 2017 and supported by a growing coalition of funding partners, the Fund has invested $4.9M in North Carolina’s growing news and information ecosystem and activated nearly as much in aligned funding. The North Carolina Local News Lab Fund is also the home of Press Forward North Carolina, in partnership with co-chairs Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust and Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation, as we announced earlier this year. The Fund deepens existing partnerships with regional and national funders while continuing to grow a funding coalition that advances our shared vision of informed, connected, and thriving communities across North Carolina.
For more information about the Fund, visit www.nclocalnews.org.
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The North Carolina Local News Lab Fund is a pooled fund established in 2017 to build a resilient news and information network that serves all of North Carolina. The Fund invests in a diverse range of news and community organizations so that everyone in North Carolina can find, trust, and use the information they need to thrive. As the home of Press Forward North Carolina, the Fund also deepens ongoing partnerships with regional and national funders while continuing to advance the vision of informed, connected, and thriving communities across North Carolina. The Fund was founded by a group of local and national funders at the North Carolina Community Foundation and is now housed at NEO Philanthropy. For more information about the NC Local News Lab Fund, contact Lizzy Hazeltine, lizzy@nclocalnews.org.