The Knight Foundation seeks innovative ideas that advance informed and engaged communities.

We support informed and engaged communities through four program areas:

Journalism

Our investments are geared towards solutions. At present, Knight is focusing on four key areas that align with our strategy.

• Sustainability and Revenue Development- Knight’s overarching goal is driving the business sustainability of independent publishers. To do that, we need more revenue solutions and business innovation to ensure sustainable models. 

• Strengthening Talent and Leadership- The success of newsrooms relies on the skills, expertise and collaborative culture of the individuals who work within them. Our talent and leadership efforts encompass several key goals, including attracting and retaining top talent, fostering an inclusive and equitable workforce and promoting a culture of innovation, creativity and continuous learning. 

• Technology and Product Innovation- The pace of technological innovation continues to accelerate, and keeping up with these changes has been a struggle for local journalism. But, to meet people where they are, news organizations must fully embrace and integrate new technologies. That’s why Knight supports key areas currently driving change, such as artificial intelligence for producing more quality journalism, visuals as essential storytelling elements and data’s power for compelling narratives. 

• First Amendment and Journalist Safety- Safeguarding journalists is pivotal for upholding a free press. Knight’s commitment extends to shielding journalists from legal and physical threats. We recognize the paramount importance of legal services in preserving press freedom and nurturing sustainable local news endeavors. 

Communities

Our investments to promote more engaged communities include:

• Downtown and Neighborhood Revitalization: Making an area more livable, attractive and economically vibrant by improving, developing and restoring downtowns and neighborhoods.

• Public Spaces: Connecting people to the places where they live by supporting the programming, design and construction of inclusive and equitable public spaces.

• Economic Opportunity: Attracting and retaining residents by advancing inclusive pathways to jobs and entrepreneurship.

• “Smart Cities” as Responsive Cities: Helping cities make decisions that are more responsive to residents as digital technology reshapes our lives and shifts the ways in which communities are informed and engaged.

Arts

Knight Foundation believes arts and culture are at the core of community, connecting people to places and to one another. Investing in arts and culture is central to Knight’s effort to build stronger, better informed, and more engaged communities, which are critical for a more effective democracy.

Learning and Impact

Knight Foundation commissions research that contributes to the broader understanding of informed and engaged communities, both now and in the future.

Our research investments include:

• Media and Democracy

• Polling and Research

• Impact Assessments