The California Civic Media Program is a public-private partnership that invests directly in California’s state and local newsrooms. By funding the organizations doing original, fact-based journalism, the program aims to close information gaps, strengthen communities, and ensure California’s press reflects the people it serves.
The program model was designed to be equitable, transparent, and replicable balancing objective funding criteria with space for organizations to demonstrate the full scope of their impact.
The model has three main components: Eligibility, Funding Determination, and Prioritization.
The California Civic Media Program was designed to reach organizations doing the core work of local journalism: producing original, fact-based reporting on the communities and institutions that shape Californians’ daily lives.
To be eligible, a news organization must:
The following organizations are not eligible:
The California Civic Media Program distributes grants through a single application process. Funding is predominantly determined by a pro rata formula based on journalist headcount and a needs-based set-aside to adjust awards for organizations whose impact exceeds what headcount alone reflects.
News organizations are eligible for funding based on the number of eligible journalists or full time equivalents (FTEs) they employ at the time of application:
An eligible journalist is a W-2 employee whose primary professional function is the gathering, reporting, editing, or production of original, fact-based news on local and state matters. They must live in California and meet the following average threshold of hours worked:
Part-time employees with less than 15 hours a week on average and independent contractors are not eligible for the pro rata formula but can be referenced in the needs-based adjustment section of the application (see below). For a full definition of an eligible journalist, please reference the program guide.
Note: Organizations with less than 1 FTE can still apply for the program and are eligible for up to $40,000 in funding through the needs-based adjustment if all other requirements are met.
The pro rata formula determines how much an organization could receive. Prioritization determines the order in which applications are funded, which matters because the program operates until funds are depleted.
Applicants will be asked to answer three short narrative questions on their coverage of disinvested audiences, ongoing viability, and planned use of funds. Applications will be scored based on those responses using a predefined rubric. Higher-scoring applications are funded first until program funds are depleted.
Headcount tells part of the story. The Needs-Based set-aside exists to account for the rest, particularly for newsrooms serving deeply disinvested communities or whose workforce structure doesn’t fully reflect their reporting impact.
Organizations that have not reached the $250,000 cap through the pro rata formula may apply for up to double their base award. Organizations with fewer than one FTE journalist may apply and be eligible for a total award between $20,000 and $40,000.
California is a large, economically diverse state and the program was designed to reflect that. A small portion of funding – $250,000 per region – will be reserved for applicants to ensure this investment reaches all of California. The geographic allocation model is adopted directly from the Governor’s California Jobs First State Economic Blueprint, which divided California into 13 economic regions developed over three years as part of the state’s broader economic strategy.
Established through the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), the program launched with support from Google as its founding private-sector partner, bringing together state funding, private investment, and philanthropic infrastructure to strengthen local newsrooms across California. The program is administered by the James B. McClatchy Foundation with support from Journalism Funding Partners and guidance from the Civic Media Program Advisory Board, a group of news industry leaders from across the state.
The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development serves as the State of California’s leader for job growth, economic development and business assistance efforts. GO-Biz brings together a diverse team of professionals with expertise across industries, regions and business disciplines, working collaboratively to attract investment, support business growth and drive statewide economic prosperity.
The James B. McClatchy Foundation is a California based spend-down foundation committed to strengthening the civic information ecosystem in California’s Central Valley and beyond. JBMF serves as the lead third party administrator of the California Civic Media Program, responsible for program design, implementation, and operations.
Journalism Funding Partners is a California based public charity focused on increasing the depth, diversity and sustainability of local journalism by building and stewarding partnerships between funders and news organizations. JFP serves as the steward of the California Civic Media Program’s private funds and assists GO-Biz and JBMF in the program’s execution.
The Civic Media Program includes a $10 million private contribution from Google to support the long-term sustainability of local journalism across California. These funds are administered by Journalism Funding Partners. Google has no role in or influence over award selection or disbursement decisions.
The Advisory Board is composed of news industry leaders from across California. The board provides guidance on program direction but does not participate in the application review process. For more information about board members and meetings, see here.