Local Journalism Initiative

• Eligibility Criteria
  – Publishing firms producing English, French or Indigenous daily newspapers, community newspapers, digital news publications and news websites can apply;
  – Applicant must be a press agency, a private news organisation or a non-profit news organisation;
  – Private non-community broadcasters and the CBC/Radio-Canada are not eligible;
  – Publishing firms and publications eligible under more than one Local Journalism Initiative program must select one LJI program and submit applications to the applicable Administrator Organisation.
• Type of Funding: Programmatic
• Target Region: Canada
• Application Language: English

The News Media Canada invites print and digital news media organisations to submit applications for Local Journalism Initiative that covers the diverse needs of underserved communities across Canada.

The Local Journalism Initiative supports the creation of original civic journalism that is relevant to the diverse needs of underserved communities across Canada, broadening availability and consumption of local and regional news on matters of civic governance.

Funding is available to eligible Canadian media organisations to hire journalists or pay freelance journalists to produce civic journalism for underserved communities. The content produced will be made available to news media organisations through a Creative Commons license so that Canadians can be better informed.

Eligible Publication

Your publication must:

• be published by an eligible publishing firm;
• be majority owned and controlled by Canadians;
• be either an English, French or Indigenous printed daily or community newspaper, digital news publication or news website;
• have completed at least one uninterrupted 12-month publishing cycle at the application deadline;
• be edited, designed, assembled and published in Canada.

Funding Information

Eligible news media organisations may apply to receive funds to initially hire journalists on staff or as freelance, and (in subsequent years) retain them. The Local Journalism Initiative can fund up to $60,000 per LJI project per 12-month period, with a maximum of one full-time reporter position.

See here to learn more and apply.

Access the Fundraising Guide for expert advice on how to improve your fundraising applications and to identify prospective donors.