More than $1.6 million in capacity-building support will go to 13 local news organizations in the Chicago region as part of the inaugural round of grants from Press Forward Chicago, housed at the Chicago Community Trust and supported by MacArthur. These initial grants prioritized building the capacity of smaller newsrooms with operating budgets under $2 million to scale sustainable business models, close coverage and representation gaps in marginalized communities, enhance civic participation, and leverage technology for news distribution and audience engagement.
Press Forward Chicago launched in November of 2023 as a local chapter of Press Forward, the national initiative led by MacArthur, to strengthen communities and democracy by supporting local news and information with an infusion of more than a half-billion dollars over the next five years.
Pictured above are staff members of Cicero Independiente, a Press Forward grantee.
