How can I contact an individual at Knight Foundation?
Call (305) 908-2600 to speak with our operator.
Send e-mail to webmaster Robertson Adams via web@knightfoundation.org if you don't know a Knight staff member's e-mail address and the webmaster will forward your communication to your party.
Send postal mail to John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 200 South Biscayne Blvd., Suite 3300, Miami, FL 33131-2349
How do Knight Foundation programs operate?
Our priorities are to strengthen our signature Journalism Program; to deepen our commitment to our communities through the Knight Community Partners Program; and to work with national organizations located outside our communities through the National Venture Fund.
Who are the Knight brothers and what is their connection to journalism?
John S. ("Jack") Knight and James L. ("Jim") Knight founded the Knight Newspapers. The company merged with Ridder Publications and became Knight-Ridder Newspapers in 1974, which until 2006 was Knight Ridder Inc. John S. Knight died in 1981 and James L. Knight died in 1991. Knight Ridder Inc. was purchased by the McClatchy Co.
The foundation is their legacy to communities where they had newspaper operations up through 1991 and to the profession of journalism worldwide.
Knight Foundation is and always has been private and independent of Knight Ridder.
How can I "apply" for a grant?
Organizations interested in applying for a grant should contact the program director from one of our three programs:
Can organizations outside of Knight communities apply for a grant?
Our Journalism Initiatives Program is international in scope. However, Knight only awards grants to nonprofit journalism institutions located in the United States. In our Community Partners Program, we will seek to work with local and national organizations capable of helping our communities achieve their priority outcomes.
Journalism Program: The Journalism Program is international in scope and awards grants to nonprofit institutions throughout the United States.
Communities Program: In our Knight Community Partners Program, we will seek to work with local organizations capable of helping our communities realize their priority outcomes.
National and New Initiatives: Must benefit at least one of the Knight Communities.
What are Knight's National and New Initiatives?
Knight's National and New Initiatives support innovative opportunities and initiatives at the national level that relate directly or indirectly to Knight’s work in its communities. The National Program welcomes proposals from U.S.-based organizations committed to high standards of planning, evaluation and communication. For more: National and New Initiatives.
What are the foundation's deadlines?
We review letters of inquiry on an ongoing basis. We schedule completed proposals for the appropriate quarterly board agenda. The grant development and review process takes at least six months.
How often can an organization apply for a grant?
There are no restrictions on how often an organization may apply for a grant. (This represents a change from earlier policy.)
Are there programs Knight Foundation doesn’t fund?
Yes. Here’s a list of programs Knight prefers not to fund:
Requests for support of fund-raising events
Requests to cover operating deficits
Charities operated by service clubs
Activities that are normally the responsibility of government. (The Foundation will, in selective cases, join with units of government in supporting special projects.)
Medical research; organizations or projects whose mission is to prevent, eradicate and/or alleviate the effects of a specific disease; requests from hospitals (unless they are for community-wide capital campaigns with a stated goal and beginning and ending dates or for specific projects that meet Foundation goals.)
Activities to propagate a religious faith or restricted to one religion or denomination; support of political candidates; memorials.
International programs and organizations, except U.S.-based organizations supporting a free press around the world.
A second request for a capital campaign for which the Foundation previously approved a grant.
Conferences; group travel; honoraria for distinguished guests — except in initiatives of the Foundation in all three cases.
Scholarships for individuals.
Who decides whether a grant should be made?
Knight Foundation’s president and trustees approve grants based on information provided by grantees and recommendations from foundation staff and advisory committees.
When and how does an applicant find out if a grant has been made?
All applicants will be notified by mail of the foundation’s final decision regarding their proposal. We discourage phone calls from applicants regarding the status of a query or proposal.
Our web site offers information about Knight Foundation’s history, communities, programs, grant making, publications, special initiatives and current news. The foundation also publishes an annual report, quarterly newsletter and other occasional publications reporting on special programs and initiatives. To receive these materials or request other information, send an e-mail to publications@knightfoundation.org or contact us by telephone at (305) 908-2612.
What is Knight Foundation’s policy about controversial grants or grants to organizations where controversy is likely to follow?
Knight Foundation occasionally supports organizations which publish or broadcast controversial or unpopular content, including translated news broadcasts from overseas. It supports these organizations and their mission for one basic reason: We believe the American people deserve the opportunity to hear, see and understand the news and views coming from all sides of complex international stories.
Knight and its nonprofit partners do not subscribe to the accuracy or ideology of any news source nor do we guarantee its accuracy.
