CHICAGO — Dec 12, 2024 — The MacArthur Foundation announced on Thursday the Reader Institute for Community Journalism (RICJ) will receive $350,000 to support the operations of the Chicago Reader and its political and cultural coverage of the Chicago area.
“We can’t thank the MacArthur team enough for making a ‘big bet’ on the Reader.” Solomon Lieberman, CEO of RICJ, said.” Young nonprofits like ours live or die based on multiyear support, and this funding is critical as we seek to expand our newsroom and increase our community-driven coverage of arts and culture throughout the city. As part of that increase we’ll be shining a light on the impact the arts have on Chicago: as a healing agent, an economic driver, a sounding board for ideas, and as a tourist attraction.”
The MacArthur Foundation launched the Local News Program last year with a commitment of at least $150 million in new grantmaking to local news over five years, and the potential of $25 million in additional impact investments. This latest round of grants brings the total committed to date to more than $90 million.
RICJ was one of six newsrooms awarded in this round of grantmaking, and the only Chicago-based newsroom. Grants were also awarded to journalism service organizations and other research and collaborative organizations. An additional $3.3 million will go to the Chicago Community Trust through Press Forward Chicago, as part of a national initiative led by MacArthur to strengthen communities and democracy by supporting local news and information.
Published weekly, print copies of the Chicago Reader can be found in over 1,100 locations across the city. Digital coverage can be found daily at chicagoreader.com.
Media inquiries:
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ABOUT CHICAGO READER
For more than 50 years, the Chicago Reader has been a fearless, innovative, and nationally respected media voice in Chicago. The Reader is available in print every week and daily online, and includes coverage of tastemakers, incisive critics, and agenda-setters. Community-supported, the Reader takes pride in its equitable approach to community coverage, staffing, and vendor supply.
ABOUT READER INSTITUTE FOR COMMUNITY JOURNALISM (RICJ)The Reader Institute for Community Journalism is organized and operated to educate, advance, and inform public discourse through local, independent journalism in the Greater Chicago metropolitan area. RICJ operates and publishes the Chicago Reader, which creates and curates political and cultural coverage by and for Chicago, including highlighting underrepresented communities and stories.