“Press Forward gave $20 million to 205 local newsrooms over two years. Here’s how some of them spent it.”

Key points

• In 2024, Press Forward announced unrestricted funding for 100 small local newsrooms under $1 million.
• Ultimately 205 outlets received a total of $20 million, with most getting $100,000 each split over two years.
• Funding helped many shops keep operations going, cover bills, payroll, and unexpected gaps.
• Some recipients benefited from credibility with other funders and morale boosts amid precarity.
• Not all grantees survived or remained unchanged; some merged, transformed, or shut down.