A consortium of journalism funders announced on Wednesday its decision to award $20 million in grants to 205 independent local news organizations throughout the United States. This amount is approximately double what was initially planned when the call for grant applications was made.

Press Forward, the organization behind these grants, reported that it received around 930 applications and ultimately selected the recipients based on a careful review process. Notably, 40% of the awarded organizations are led by individuals of color, and 25% focus on serving rural areas. Most of the funded outlets will receive $100,000 in general operating support.

This financial assistance is significant for many small journalism entities, including Black Iowa News, which was established during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide timely updates related to the crisis. Other beneficiaries include the Nome Nugget, a local paper serving a broad region in western Alaska, and Radio Indigena, an initiative aimed at bridging California’s migrant communities with news delivered in Indigenous languages.

Dale Anglin, the president of Press Forward, explained that the increased funding was driven by a perceived urgent need for support in the local news landscape. Organizations with annual revenue below $1 million were eligible to apply for these funds. “Many people tend to focus on major news giants like The New York Times and Associated Press,” Anglin noted, highlighting the importance of smaller local outlets that often struggle to survive.

Over the last twenty years, numerous local news publications have either shut down or significantly reduced their staffing due to various economic challenges. Philanthropic efforts are now stepping in to bolster the support for these essential community resources.