8 80 Cities and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation have announced that applications are now open for the 2025-26 Knight Emerging City Champions (KECC) fellowship and micro-grant program.

The program invites young civic innovators, ages 18-35, who are passionate about driving transformative change in Knight Foundation’s eight resident communities to receive funding and build leadership skills while contributing to meaningful, creative solutions for local challenges. The program seeks creative young leaders with bold ideas that strengthen trust and community connection, foster creative expression and build local resilience. Applicants must propose a project that connects residents in their community, fosters creative expression, and/or builds local resilience.

Twenty applicants will receive $5,000 in seed funding and a $500 tech grant to help implement their project idea, ongoing virtual training, technical support from 8 80 Cities and access to a national network of creative urbanists. The program will run from August 2025 to August 2026.

The program is accepting applications from residents ages 18-35 from the following cities: Akron, Ohio; Charlotte, North Carolina; Detroit, Michigan; Macon, Georgia; Miami, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Jose, California; and St. Paul, Minnesota. Applicants must live in the United States, and they must be ages 18-35 years old at the time they apply.

For complete program guidelines and application instructions, see the Knight Emerging City Champions website.

Deadline: May 28, 2025

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has issued a Request for Proposals for efforts to combat disinformation in communities of color.

According to the foundation, the COVID-19 pandemic, the movement for racial justice, and the 2020 election campaign have all provided opportunity for bad actors to target persons of color with disinformation that exploits racial tensions and deep-seated socio-economic anxieties in ways that are harmful to health and corrosive to communities and our democracy. Recent studies report communities of color are asymmetrically targeted by disinformation, particularly disinformation that aims to discourage civic participation. According to a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee report, Black Americans were targeted more than any other group in the 2016 election.

To remedy this situation, the Knight Foundation aims to fund research projects that work to disrupt the effects of targeted disinformation in communities of color. Grants of up to $175,000 will be awarded in support of a wide range of proposals including publication development, such as special journal issues or volumes; course relief to enable research; research assistance; targeted investigative reporting projects; symposia, workshops, or other convenings that advance practical, actionable insights; and data or technology acquisition.

The opportunity is open to a range of experts working in research institutions, including universities, policy centers, and journalism and civil society organizations within the United States. Submissions are especially encouraged from minority-serving organizations such as HBCUs, Hispanic- and AAPI-serving colleges and universities, news organizations, and early-career scholars.

The Knight Foundation will host informational webinars on August 10 at 3:00 p.m. ET (register here) and September 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET (register here)

The deadline for proposals is September 15. Selected applicants will be invited to submit more detailed proposals and a budget in October 2021.

For complete program guidelines, application instructions, and to register for the informational webinars, see the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation website.

Deadline: September 15, 2021

COMBATTING DISINFORMATION IN COMMUNITIES OF COLOR

According to the foundation, the COVID-19 pandemic, the movement for racial justice, and the 2020 election campaign have all provided opportunity for bad actors to target persons of color with disinformation that exploits racial tensions and deep-seated socio-economic anxieties in ways that are harmful to health and corrosive to communities and our democracy. Recent studies report communities of color are asymmetrically targeted by disinformation, particularly disinformation that aims to discourage civic participation. According to a U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee report, Black Americans were targeted more than any other group in the 2016 election.

To remedy this situation, the Knight Foundation aims to fund research projects that work to disrupt the effects of targeted disinformation in communities of color. Grants of up to $175,000 will be awarded in support of a wide range of proposals including publication development, such as special journal issues or volumes; course relief to enable research; research assistance; targeted investigative reporting projects; symposia, workshops, or other convenings that advance practical, actionable insights; and data or technology acquisition.

The opportunity is open to a range of experts working in research institutions, including universities, policy centers, and journalism and civil society organizations within the United States. Submissions are especially encouraged from minority-serving organizations such as HBCUs, Hispanic- and AAPI-serving colleges and universities, news organizations, and early-career scholars.

The Knight Foundation will host informational webinars on August 10 at 3:00 p.m. ET (register here) and September 1 at 3:00 p.m. ET (register here).

The deadline for proposals is September 15. Selected applicants will be invited to submit more detailed proposals and a budget in October 2021.

Learn more and apply.

Importantly, the one medium that can break through the partisan divide, and bring people together around a common set of facts, is local news.

The 2021 Knight Media Forum, taking place online, March 2-4, will examine how local news innovators and their supporters are responding to unprecedented times, and offer practical solutions for newsrooms and funders seeking to promote more informed and engaged communities.

Learn more and register.

While the forum is geared towards foundation presidents and leaders in journalism and technology, the 2021 gathering is online and open to all.

Earlier this year, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation released the 100 Million Project, a landmark study that surveyed 12,000 persistent nonvoters in order to explore the underlying challenges of electoral participation. Alarming findings showed the emerging electorate— 18-to-24-year-old eligible citizens, many of whom were registered or had voted before—were far less interested in voting for president in 2020 even than chronic non-voters. Young people also had the least interest in politics, felt the least informed, and struggled the most with the voting process.

But this was before COVID-19 upended the college experience and created the potential for a disrupted 2020 election. It was also before the police killing of George Floyd triggered protests and a national discussion of systemic racism that sharpened partisan divides.

Knight commissioned College Pulse to undertake a national poll of college student views on voting and the 2020 election, to gage their responses to voting during these unprecedented and uncertain times. Conducted from August 9 to 12, 2020, findings from “College Students, Voting and the COVID-19 Election” represent a sample of 4,000 full-time students currently enrolled in four-year degree programs surveyed via the College Pulse mobile app and web portal, and weighted to be nationally representative.

Read more and download the report here: https://knightfoundation.org/reports/college-students-voting-and-the-covid-19-election/

Read the report here: https://knightfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Community-Ties-Final-pg.pdf

Tuesday, May 12, 1 p.m. ET

This episode of Coast to Coast is hosted in partnership with Reimagining the Civic Commons and the High Line Network. We’ll be joined by Carol Coletta (President and CEO of the Memphis River Parks Partnership), Alexa Bush (Director of Urban Design for the City of Detroit) and Stephen Gray (Harvard assistant professor and founder of Grayscale Collaborative)

Register here: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_U0tY0cvKTXGAhQ6ZbqlGVw

Conducted by NORC at the University of Chicago, the report analyzes the findings of a survey of 1,660 adults between the ages of 18 and 34. It includes large samples of African American and Hispanic participants in order to explore beliefs and behaviors across races and ethnicities.

The report found that young adults interact with the news frequently with 88 percent accessing news at least weekly, including 53 percent who do so every day. As such, it holds important findings for news organizations and journalists as they try to build their influence and reach among the next generation.

Read more: https://medium.com/trust-media-and-democracy/six-reasons-young-adults-think-the-news-media-is-dividing-our-country-a4adc2d71fa6

Full report: https://www.knightfoundation.org/reports/young-adults-news-behaviors-and-beliefs

As college students across the United States continue to test the limits and protections of the First Amendment, a new report by College Pulse reveals that students show support for these rights, but are divided on whether it’s more important to promote an inclusive society that welcomes diverse groups or to protect the extremes of free speech. Opinions sharply diverge by gender, race, sexual orientation, political affiliation and religion.

Supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the report used a mobile app and web portal to survey 4,407 full-time college students enrolled in four-year degree programs in December 2018. It builds on previous surveys of college students and their views on the First Amendment supported by Knight in 2016 and 2018.

The report showed that more than half (53 percent) of students favor protecting free speech rights, while nearly as many (46 percent) say it’s important to promote an inclusive and welcoming society. At the same time, 58 percent of students said that hate speech should continue to be protected under the First Amendment while 41 percent disagree. The report’s exploration of perceptions by race, gender, sexual orientation and religion further highlight stark differences in student views on these issues.

Read more: https://www.knightfoundation.org/reports/free-expression-college-campuses

However one describes the problem, there is a disturbing discord in the American polity that needs everyone’s attention and resolution to fix. This Commission report focuses on the intersection of the distrust in American democratic institutions and in the journalistic media. These are difficult times, calling for strong responses to the dilemmas set forth below.

The Knight Commission on Trust, Media and Democracy consists of 27 individuals from various sectors of society—current and former members of media, business, nonprofits, academia, government and the arts. A partnership of the Aspen Institute Communications and Society Program and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Commission began working in the summer of 2017 with the aim of reporting in early 2019. During that time, the Commission benefited from a wide diversity of input on crucially important issues. It held meetings around the country, hearing from a wide array of witnesses, scholars, activists, government officials and, through a Medium channel, the general public.

Read the report and learn more here: http://csreports.aspeninstitute.org/Knight-Commission-TMD/2019/report

The Knight Cities Challenge seeks new ideas from innovators who will take hold of the future of our cities. Over the next four weeks we are inviting applicants from across the nation to tell us their ideas for making the 26 cities where Knight invests more vibrant places to live and work. From a pool of $5 million we’re looking to award grants at the city, neighborhood and block level, and all sizes in between. The challenge is open for applications from October 10 until Thursday, November 3 at noon E.T.

http://www.knightcities.org/

Info Sessions

KCC Philadelphia Winners Panel with Patrick Morgan
Upenn School of Design, 210 S 34th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104.
September 20, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET
Click here to RSVP
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/knight-cities-challenge-philadelphia-winners-panel-tickets-27287383298

Philadelphia Community Info. Session with Patrick Morgan
Community College Of Philadelphia – 1700 Spring Garden Street, Philadelphia PA 19130
September 26, 6-8 p.m. ET
click here to RSVP
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/knight-cities-challenge-philadelphia-info-session-i-tickets-27180302015

Philadelphia Community Info. Session with Patrick Morgan
Asian Arts Initiative, 1219 Vine St, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
October 10, 6-8p.m. ET
Click here to RSVP
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/knight-cities-challenge-philadelphia-info-session-ii-tickets-27180732302

Philadelphia Info. Session with Patrick Morgan
Drexel University- Dornsife Center, 3509 Spring Garden St, Philadelphia PA 19104.
October 19, 5:30-7:30 p.m. ET
Click here to RSVP
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/knight-cities-challenge-philadelphia-info-session-iii-tickets-27287051305

Philadelphia Info. Session with Patrick Morgan
UPENN- 3417 Spruce St (Houston Hall) Philadelphia, PA 19104
October 26, 6-8 p.m.
Click here to RSVP
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/knight-cities-challenge-philadelphia-info-session-iv-tickets-27287279989

http://www.knightcities.org/

The challenge will launch on Oct. 10, with applications being accepted until Nov. 3. Ideas should focus on one or all of three key drivers of city success: attracting and keeping talent, expanding economic opportunity, and creating a culture of civic engagement.

If you have questions about the challenge, you can join us for virtual office hours or in-person events to learn more. The schedule, which is regularly updated, can be accessed here.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RmRXDPfDmq-G5TeaAHeg2iVnJvRmIWh3d11kDMaRsv4/edit

To enter the Knight Cities Challenge go to knightcities.org starting Oct. 10 and answer a few questions. For more information take a look at this blog post.

http://www.knightfoundation.org/blogs/knightblog/2016/8/16/5-million-knight-cities-challenge-open-ideas-oct-10/

Follow @knightfdn and #knightcities on Twitter for updates and please spread the word through your networks.

Today, we are happy to report that the Emerging City Champions experiment surpassed all expectations. The young change makers who participated in this program established new organizations, created pop-up public spaces, fostered community and broke barriers. In fact, the program was so successful that we’re doing it all over again.

The 2016 Emerging City Champions fellowship program will launch on March 28, 2016. The deadline for applications is April 15. Interested innovators can submit online proposals at http://emergingcitychampions.org.

The Emerging City Champions is a fellowship program for civic innovators and status quo breakers in the 26 communities where Knight invests. The program is designed to empower people who see opportunity in urban challenges, and who are committed to creating change to enhance their communities. No project idea is too big or too small as long as the applicant is willing to take chances and push boundaries.

The first stop for successful applicants will be Toronto, Canada, for the Emerging City Champions Studio. Over four days, the champions will test, stretch, break and build their project ideas through workshops and group activities led by city building experts. The champions will return to their home cities with the skills and knowledge they need to hit the ground running. They will have one year and $5,000 to put their project idea into action. 8 80 Cities, Knight Foundation and a network of mentors will be there to support the champions every step of the way.

Applying is easy. There are only four rules for submissions:

1) Projects must be based in or benefit one of the 26 communities where Knight invests.

2) Applicants must be between the ages of 19-35.

3) Project ideas must contribute to improved urban mobility or public space.

4) Applicants must include a multimedia submission that describes their project

Successful applicants will have one year to implement a game-changing project in their city. The rules are minimal to maximize the creativity and ingenuity of the proposals. For inspiration, we encourage you to learn more about the alumni champions at http://emergingcitychampions.org.

The Emerging City Champions program is an opportunity to embrace the dynamism of your community by creating positive change. It’s about celebrating nimble approaches to city building that invite and empower everyone to participate in their community. It’s about supporting young civic leaders and diverse voices who are driven to make a mark on their city. We look forward to seeing your idea for making your community better.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced the opening of its $3 million Knight News Challenge, a competition designed to surface ideas that address the evolving role of libraries in the digital age.

The challenge seeks to uncover new ways to extend and strengthen the role of libraries as essential spaces for people to learn, acquire information, and exchange ideas and perspectives. Anyone anywhere in the United States can participate by providing a brief answer to the question: How might libraries serve twenty-first century information needs?

The newschallenge.org platform enables conversations across projects and allows applicants to refine their ideas based on user comments and suggestions. In April, with the input of expert reviewers, Knight will select a group of semifinalists, to move to the next stage of the challenge, where they will be asked to provide more information about their ideas.

Winning projects have the chance to receive funding of approximately $35,000 to $500,000 over a period of six months to two years.

The challenge is open to anyone, from public libraries to universities to businesses, nonprofits, and even individuals who have never innovated in the library space. Applicants must be based in the United States, however.

Visit the Knight Foundation website for complete program guidelines, an FAQ, and application instructions.

DEADLINE: MARCH 21, 2016

http://www.knightfoundation.org/press-room/press-release/knight-news-challenge-seeks-ideas-for-libraries/