This month, Craig Newmark, the founder of craigslist, announced $250,000 in support of Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms.
This renewed partnership with Craig Newmark Philanthropies will fuel Report for America’s efforts to train and support 225 corps members across the United States this year, as the program aspires to field 1,000 emerging journalists by 2024.
Craig Newmark Philanthropies is an early supporter of Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project. Since 2018, Newmark has given more than $600,000 to the nonprofit program.
“We are fortunate to have Craig Newmark as a supporter not only because he believes in Report for America, but also because he is passionate about local news, and energizing philanthropy to support it,” said Steve Waldman, president and co-founder of Report for America.
Newmark has been a leader in generously supporting local news organizations across the United States, having given more than $6 million to strengthen the local news ecosystem. Report for America is proud to be a part of this group.
When local news thrives, communities better understand one another, added Waldman. They have higher rates of civic engagement, lower rates of polarization, more government accountability, and higher trust. And when newsrooms reflect the diversity of their community, they are better able to share nuanced and unique perspectives, and build that trust.
“A trustworthy press is the immune system of democracy, and that starts with the grassroots. We need to hear from reporters on the ground, whether it’s a matter of national security, or what’s going on with the school board,” said Newmark. “Report for America and GroundTruth really help make that happen.”
To learn how you can support Report for America, visit www.reportforamerica.org.
About Report for America: Report for America is a national service program that places talented emerging journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered topics and communities. Launched in 2017 and donor-financed, Report for America is creating a new, sustainable system that provides Americans with the information they need to improve their communities, hold powerful institutions accountable, and rebuild trust in the media. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. GroundTruth is an award-winning nonprofit media organization with an established track record of training and supporting teams of emerging journalists around the world and in the US.
About Craig Newmark Philanthropies: Craig Newmark is a Web pioneer, philanthropist, and leading advocate. Most commonly known for founding the online classified ads service craigslist, Newmark works to support and connect people and drive broad civic engagement. In 2016, he founded Craig Newmark Philanthropies to advance people and grassroots organizations that are “getting stuff done” in areas that include trustworthy journalism & the information ecosystem, voter protection, women in technology, and veterans & military families. At its core, all of Newmark’s philanthropic work helps to strengthen American democracy by supporting the values that the country aspires to – fairness, opportunity, and respect. For more information, please visit: CraigNewmarkPhilanthropies.org. Craig can be found sharing his personal perspective on the issues of the day at @craignewmark.