Name of Foundation: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Location: Miami, Florida
Contact info: http://knightfoundation.org/about/
Phone: 305-908-2600
Coverage Area: 26 communities nation-wide (where the Knight brothers formerly owned newspapers)
Subject Area: Arts, communities, journalism, media innovation
Assets: $2.443 billion (2014)
Last Year Total Giving: $124.110 million (2015)
In a nutshell:
The Knight Foundation has its roots in Charles Landon Knight’s success in the Akron, Ohio newspaper industry from 1907-1933. After he died, his sons John S. and James L. founded the Knight Memorial Education Fund in 1940 to help send Akron students to college. A decade later, they transferred several thousand dollars from this fund to officially create the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. In the decades since, the organization has moved to Florida and its reach has expanded to cover all 26 communities where the Knight brothers owned newspapers. The current president is Alberto Ibargüen.
The major goal behind the Knight Foundation is to support transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts.
While the Knight Foundation is generally known for its funding of media endeavors, it also funds initiatives related to community development, including child and family issues. These initiatives focus on impacting the following 26 communities: Akron, OH; Charlotte, NC; Detroit, MI; Macon, GA; Miami, FL; Philadelphia, PA; San Jose, CA; St. Paul, MN; Aberdeen, WA; Biloxi, MS; Boulder, CO; Bradenton, FL; Columbia, SC; Columbus, OH; Duluth, MN; Fort Wayne, IN; Gary, IN; Grand Forks, ND; Lexington, KY; Long Beach, CA; Milledgeville, GA; Myrtle Beach, SC; Palm Beach County, FL; State College, PA; Tallahassee, FL; and Wichita, KS. The foundation’s main funding priorities at the moment are organized under the headings of “Arts,” “Communities,” “Journalism” and “Media Innovation.” Several youth-oriented projects fall under these bulletins, including:
- Knight Youth Voice, in Bradenton, FL
- Youth Venture Summit
- YouthBuild and YouthBuild Alumni Study
- Youth Movements, Global Youth Action Network
- Philadelphia Youth Poetry Movement
Major Program Categories:
How to Apply:
The Knight Foundation’s application is very straightforward. There are no specific deadlines. The “Apply for Funding” page outlines three steps:
- Submit an idea (5 minutes) via the online letter of inquiry system: this amounts to a brief form summarizing your project and involvement.
- Submission of a full proposal (within 4 weeks): if the foundation is interested in hearing more, they will contact you via email with a link to a full proposal form. Proposal materials become the property of the Knight Foundation.
- Proposal review and funding determination.
Recent News and Grantmaking:
The Imprint: Knight Foundation Awards YouthBuild USA Grant to Expand Programs in California
The Imprint: The Money Behind My Brother’s Keeper: What’s Known So Far
