Lenfest Institute and Knight Foundation launch Knight Communities Network to support local journalism funders 

The community of practice will help establish Press Forward chapters to reinvigorate local news in Knight Communities

February 10, 2025

The Lenfest Institute for Journalism and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation today announced the launch of the Knight Communities Network, a new community of practice to support local journalism funders working to build sustainable news ecosystems in their communities.  

The Knight Communities Network will create a peer-to-peer learning environment for local funders and foundations working to reinvigorate local journalism as part of Press Forward, a national coalition of funders supporting local news ecosystems. The Network will launch initially in eight cities, each home to former Knight newspapers and Knight Foundation community support: Lexington, Ky.; State College, Pa.; Tallahassee, Fl.; Charlotte, N.C.; Gary, Ind.; Miami, Fl.; Wichita, Kan.; and Philadelphia.  

The goal of the Knight Communities Network is not only to enable the success of the member Press Forward chapters but also to help create sustainable, scalable models for funding local journalism ecosystems. The diversity of communities and the varying stages of their Press Forward chapters position the Knight Communities Network to develop and test models for funding local journalism that can be replicated in other communities across the country.  

The initiative builds on The Lenfest Institute’s work in Philadelphia, where the Institute has pioneered fundraising, grantmaking, and learning efforts to support a broad array of local news and information providers. The Knight Communities Network is one of several national Communities of Practice operated by the Institute, including the Lenfest News Philanthropy Network, the Lenfest Audience Community of Practice, the Statewide News Collective, the Engaged Cities community, and the Local Independent News Coalition. 

The Knight Communities Network is supported by a $2.2 million investment from the Knight Foundation, which will empower the Institute to manage the network and provide training, resources, and strategic advisory services. 

“The Lenfest Institute has learned a tremendous amount about how to support a thriving local news ecosystem since our founding in 2016. We have learned from — and intend to share — both our successes and our challenges. We are excited to work with the Knight Foundation and our partners in the Knight Communities Network to share lessons from our work in Philadelphia with news and funding leaders around the United States,” said Lenfest Institute Executive Director and CEO Jim Friedlich.  

Local journalism is facing a moment of reinvention. The United States has lost almost a third of its newspapers since 2005, and in 2023 only half of U.S. counties were served by one or no newspaper, according to data from Northwestern University’s Medill Local News Initiative. The loss of local news outlets has been linked to increased political polarization and diminished civic engagement. At the same time, philanthropic investment and entrepreneurship in local news has increased, together with a growing recognition of the importance of local journalism in fostering informed, engaged communities. 

The Knight Communities Network is part of Knight Foundation’s commitment of $15 million to support the launch and growth of Press Forward chapters in eight communities, including Philadelphia. The Knight communities are at various stages in the process of establishing their Press Forward chapters, which aim to create sustainable local news ecosystems by aligning local stakeholders and building long-term financial support for journalism. 

“Press Forward isn’t just about funding—it’s about inspiring long-term community commitment to local journalism,” said Duc Luu, Director of Journalism at Knight. “This network will empower our long-time partners in Knight communities to invest in sustaining their own news ecosystems and provide them with the tools they need to thrive.” 

Drawing on its network of partners, The Lenfest Institute will provide Knight Communities Network members with a suite of programming, resources, and advisory services. The Institute will provide guidance as each community studies its news and information needs, conducts fundraising feasibility studies, and creates campaigns making the case for supporting local news. The network will emphasize peer learning and knowledge-sharing, with regular meetings where members can exchange best practices, share challenges, and explore new strategies for supporting local journalism with each other and the broader local news field.  

The Knight Communities Network is managed by Lenfest Program Manager Kristin Traniello. Most recently, Traniello led the editorial work of the Institute’s Every Voice, Every Vote coalition, a network of more than 70 media and community organizations catalyzing civic engagement in Philadelphia. She brings a background in media partnerships, community engagement, and coalition building to the Network. Traniello will work closely with network members to strengthen connections, facilitate knowledge sharing, and strengthen the impact of Press Forward chapters in Knight communities.  

“I am very excited to convene and support this passionate and diverse network as they harness the power of their communities to support local news,” Traniello said. 

Community members and local funders in Knight communities who are interested in learning more about how to participate, should reach out to Lenfest Institute Head of National Programs Tristan Loper at [email protected].  

About The Lenfest Institute for Journalism 

The Lenfest Institute creates solutions for the next era of local news by investing in sustainable business models at the intersection of local journalism and community in Philadelphia and nationwide.  

About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation 

We are social investors who support a more effective democracy by funding free expression and journalism, arts and culture in community, research in areas of media and democracy, and the American cities and towns where the Knight brothers once published newspapers. Learn more at KF.org. 

About Press Forward 

Press Forward is a nationwide movement to strengthen our democracy by revitalizing local news and information. Press Forward’s growing coalition of 60+ funders has committed to invest more than $500 million to strengthen local newsrooms, close longstanding gaps in journalism coverage, advance public policy that expands access to local news and scale infrastructure the sector needs to thrive. Press Forward is housed at The Miami Foundation. For more, visit pressforward.news.