Welcome to the Press Forward grant and reporting portal! To learn more about Press Forward, visit our website at https://www.pressforward.news. To get in touch with our team, contact grants@pressforward.news.
With support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Press Forward will provide Accelerator Grants of up to $250,000 per approved local chapter to enhance their ability to raise and deploy local resources for trusted news and civic information. The program is designed to help chapters move from nascent to emerging to flourishing, by building capacity in four domains:
- Community Trust and Legitimacy
- Organizational Infrastructure and Governance
- Fundraising and Resource Mobilization
- Programmatic Activity and Field Impact.
One Application – Several Opportunities
Through this application, chapters may request direct grant funds in addition to opting into technical assistance, peer-learning cohorts known as Chapter Jumpstart Sessions, and a coordinated network matching challenge.
The key metric of success for this program is new dollars raised locally. The expected return on investment (ROI) for direct grants to chapters in this program is at least 1:1. In other words, if $150,000 is awarded by Press Forward, the chapter is expected to raise and deploy at least $150,000 in new dollars by the end of the Accelerator Grant term.
Before completing this application, Press Forward chapters should:
Three application deadlines and award rounds are available. Round One is completed. Chapters may apply for technical assistance and supportive programs in any round, but may receive Accelerator Grant funds only once through this program.
ROUND TWO
- Grant Portal Opens: October 1, 2026
- Info Session: Accelerator Grants and Jumpstart Sessions: Monday, Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. ET
- Office Hours for Applicants: Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 1 p.m. ET
- Applications Due: November 2, 2026 by Midnight PT
- Award Notifications: By January 15, 2027
ROUND THREE: Opens March 2027