Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds speaks at the Fund’s launch in 2024
The IE Journalism Innovation Hub + Fund at IECF recently awarded $220,000 to 12 local news outlets and independent media makers in its inaugural grantmaking round! This initial investment highlights IECF’s commitment to revitalizing local news and ensuring our communities have access to equitable and impactful journalism.
“In a time when trusted journalism is more important than ever, these grants empower journalists to tell stories that matter most to Inland Empire residents,” said Dr. Paulette Brown-Hinds, Founder of the IE Journalism Innovation Hub + Fund at IECF. “We are proud to support these talented individuals and organizations in their efforts to inform, engage, and inspire our communities.”
This year’s grant recipients represent a wide range of projects and focus areas, from investigative reporting and community storytelling to multimedia content creation. The news organizations receiving funding to support their work are included below:
- Community Forward Redlands
- Black Voice News
- Inland Valley News
- El Informador Del Valle
- Raincross Gazette
- The Frontline Observer
- KVCR
- IE Community News
- OTWay Media (Media Literacy)
- Melissa Daniels (Freelance)
- 1LoveIE (Digital Media)
- I.E. in Friends (Digital Media)
Inland Empire Community News team during a recent podcast
In addition to grant funding support, the 12 local news organizations also participate in a peer learning community to foster collaboration and share best practices to strengthen the journalism community’s capacity to operate more effectively.
Armando Carmona speaks to local journalists
“From the start, we are paving the way for transformative regional journalism by empowering diverse voices, fostering innovation, and strengthening local coverage to create a more inclusive and informed Inland Empire,” said Armando Carmona, Project Director at the Journalism Innovation Hub + Fund at IECF.
The Journalism Innovation Hub + Fund was established to support innovative and community-centered reporting in the Inland Empire region. By investing in local newsrooms, independent journalists, and storytelling initiatives, IECF aims to amplify the voices of our diverse communities and address critical issues that affect our region.
The Inland Empire faces significant challenges, including limited resources for local journalism, fragmented communities, and the need for equitable access to information, especially for underrepresented groups such as immigrant and Spanish-speaking populations. The work of the Hub + Fund has proven essential in fostering collaboration, building trust, and empowering local media to address these challenges head-on.
The Hub + Fund is powered by generous donations and support from the James Irvine Foundation, Press Forward, Democracy Fund, the Inland Empire Community Foundation and the Google News Initiative as well as local individual donors who share our vision for a thriving local journalism ecosystem.
To learn more about this work, and how you can support local journalism in the Inland Empire, please visit the IE Journalism Innovation Hub + Fund Annual Review Report or https://iejournalism.fund.
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