The AP Fund for Journalism is grantmaking organization intended to fund local news reporting through contributions received by the organization. ¹ AP Fund for Journalism was founded by the left-of-center media group  Associated Press (AP). ²

Background

The AP Fund for Journalism was established to raise money for state and local reporting and media affiliates. ¹ The AP Fund for Journalism is a separate legal entity from the AP and thus has an independent board of directors. ¹ The CEO of the Associated Press, Daisy Veerasingham, claims that the fund’s focus on local journalism was in part motivated by her own organization’s dependence on grants and financial contributions to continue operating. Since 2017, the AP has received approximately $60.9 million in financial contributions from donors. ^{1 1}

Finances

As of July 2024, the Associated Press had set a fundraising goal of $100 million for AP Fund for Journalism. ³ The AP’s move to create a  donor-sponsored local journalism organization is aligned with a larger initiative sponsored by large left-of-center grantmaking organizations. The initiative, referred to as Press Forward, is funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Archewell Foundation, Carnegie Foundation of New York, Ford Foundation, Knight Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, and Miami Foundation. ⁴ Press Forward intends to increase local journalism financially supported by these organizations. ⁴ Press Forward has stated it plans to release $500 million into local journalism over the next 5 years. ⁴

1. Brauder, David.  “The AP is setting up a sister organization seeking grants to support local and state news” AP News. June 25, 2024. Accessed July 14, 2024. https://apnews.com/article/reporters-local-ap-foundations-c2c3fced7b46e7f0a6e0ebe6773fde4a
2. About – The Associated Press.” Crunchbase. https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/associated-press.
3. Fischer, Sara. “Exclusive: AP launching nonprofit group to raise at least $100M for local news” Axios. June 25, 2024. Accessed July 14, 2024. https://www.axios.com/2024/06/25/ap-local-news-nonprofit-journalism
4. Fischer, Sara. “New group pledges over $500M to support local journalism” Axios. June 25, 2024. Accessed July 14, 2024. https://www.axios.com/2023/09/07/press-forward-launch-save-local-journalism