Grants
The Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund believes that the diversity of the Lancaster County community is a fundamental strength. Only through intentional integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion as values and practices can philanthropic and charitable endeavors ensure substantive change in our community.
The Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund requires all applicants to establish and maintain a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This commitment must be evident in principle, as well as in organizations’ practices, ensuring that services and opportunities are extended to all individuals, regardless of age, disability, economic circumstance, ethnicity, gender identity, race, religion, sexual orientation, or other identifying characteristics. The integration of diversity, equity, and inclusion in a grant application is an important proposal evaluation criterion. The Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund reserves the right to withhold funding to or omit from consideration applications from organizations that appear to engage in discriminatory practices or behaviors.
Grant Application Process
Our application process begins with a letter of inquiry (LOI) which may be submitted to [email protected]. Please include a brief summary of your organization’s mission and goals, and outline how grant funding would be used to advance investigative and public interest journalism in Lancaster County.
The Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund Board of Managers accepts and considers inquiries on a monthly basis throughout the year. We review the information provided in the grant application to determine whether the organization and the grant request qualify for further consideration. In all cases, we communicate the outcome of the review to the grantseeker. If your LOI is approved, you will be invited to submit a grant application. Grant applications are accepted by invitation only, and are typically considered on a monthly basis.
Criteria
The Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund Board of Managers expect that grants will generally support one or more of the following:
- Investigative and public interest journalism
- Efforts, programs or events that support, protect or expand local journalism in, and for, Lancaster County
- Media literacy to ensure that the people of Lancaster County continue to be informed, engaged and empowered by independent local journalism.
The Board of Managers expect that all grants will have one to three measurable objectives agreed at the beginning of the funding period as part of the grant offer to ensure the Fund’s resources are used to further its mission and that it can report on the impact of the grants.
Principles
- The Board of Managers has ultimate responsibility for all grantmaking decisions that align with the Fund’s mission.
- The Board of Managers reserve the right to apply conditions to any grant.
- The Board of Managers also reserve the right not to approve any grant application if they determine that the resulting grant would conflict with the Fund’s policies/mission or damage its reputation.
The Lancaster County Local Journalism Fund discourages grant inquiries requesting funds for capital improvements, general operating funds, and fundraising events.