Journalism & Storytelling
The Field Foundation seeks to strengthen local news production and storytelling to further reflect Chicago and create a stronger, more connected, and sustainable local media ecosystem—in which the stories of all Chicagoans are told accurately, fairly, and contextually.
We are specifically focused on efforts to build and sustain media equity. This direction aligns with the many efforts in the journalism and media philanthropy sector to rebuild local news, including the groundbreaking Press Forward initiatives that have pooled philanthropy funds toward sustaining local journalism, both locally and nationally.
The vision for our Journalism & Storytelling portfolio is clear: support community power building by funding the effective dissemination of fact-based, impactful storytelling. An investment in these outlets is an investment in the ability of communities to see themselves represented, to access reliable news and information, and to advocate for meaningful change.
The Field Foundation remains committed to advancing this vision, one story at a time, through its work, and through the generous support of its Journalism & Storytelling funding partners, including MacArthur Foundtion, The Chicago Community Trust, Democracy Fund, and the Ford Foundation.
Journalism & Storytelling Goals
We seek to amplify the voices and impact of community journalists, media, and storytellers in the local media landscape, and support more reporting and storytelling by traditional and alternative journalism platforms.
Journalism. We define journalism as “the activity of gathering, assessing, creating, and presenting news and information.” Source: American Press Institute
Storytelling. We define storytelling as the act of creating fact-based stories that offer perspectives with the potential to change hearts, minds, and policy on pressing issues.
Application process:
We accept grant applications on a rolling basis
Director of Journalism & Storytelling Maudlyne Ihejirika (center) with members of the Field Foundation’s Inaugural Journalism & Storytelling Multi-Year Cohort. From left to right: Malik Jackson (South Side Weekly), Nissa Rhee & Mauricio Peña (Borderless Magazine), Laura Miller (Chicago News Weekly), Wendi Wei (Investigative Project on Race & Equity), and Kai EL’ Zabar (Chicago News Weekly.)
Spotlight on Journalism Resources
We are excited about Press Forward’s recent announcement of $22.7 million of investments in 22 projects that will strengthen the infrastructure of Journalism. After reviewing these 22 diverse recipients and their wide-ranging projects to help newsrooms and journalists meet urgent challenges nationwide, we are highlighting 13 with potential relevance to Field Foundations’s news outlet grant recipients. We encourage you to track any of the below initiatives that appeal to you, and be ready to reach out to these entities as their work progresses, to inquire about assistance they could potentially offer your outlets when the planned resources become available.
Vita Activa's Media Resilience Network (providing journalist mental health services)
Type Investigations' Springboard Project (training in investigative reporting and fundraising support)
Start.coop (creating cooperative services hubs with back-office shared services)
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press’ Local Legal Initiative (direct legal support to local journalists)
NCRC Community Development Fund, Inc.'s Media Resilience Fund (offering low-interest, flexible loan financing for local news outlets)
Muckrock Foundation's Transparency Network (equipping local journalists with AI-powered tools and expertise to improve access to public records)
Meedan (helping newsrooms strengthen relationships with audiences through AI-powered direct messaging)
LION Publishers (strengthening newsroom business operations through financial management and human resources expertise)
Latino Media Consortium (supporting local Latino-serving outlets in reaching sustainability and growth through direct funding, capacity-building assessments, and professional support services)
Investigative Reporters and Editors & Poynter Institute’s Internet Archive (national program that preserves vital local online news content that often goes offline when a publication shutters)
International Women's Media Foundation’s Newsroom Safety Across America (establishing safety ecosystems within local newsrooms through training, policies and regional ambassadors)
Immigrant News Coalition (testing and spreading effective revenue models for immigrant-serving newsrooms)
Global Center for Journalism & Trauma (strengthening mental health services for local journalists thru training clinicians nationwide in the industry’s unique challenges). Note: No link currently available.
“As the Journalism & Storytelling portfolio, we continue our mission to tell untold stories and ensure diverse viewpoints in the public square. Our focus is further supporting impactful and promising news outlets and startups reflective of Chicago’s communities, and the filling of information gaps with narratives, news, and investigations accurately reflecting community needs.”
Maudlyne Ihejirika
Director of
Journalism & Storytelling
Field Foundtion
