The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has announced a three-year, $3.5 million investment in NewsMatch, a national network that provides matching funds from individuals and organizations to nonprofit newsrooms.

Launched in 2016 as a Knight Foundation project, NewsMatch is now an independent national project run by the Institute for Nonprofit News, News Revenue Hub, and the Miami Foundation. In addition to providing matching funds, the program helps publishers at local newsrooms strengthen their fundraising skills and connect with individual donors in their communities. The foundation’s most recent investment is intended to increase matching funds in support of nonprofit newsrooms that cover underserved communities and are led by people of color.

“As local newspapers have closed around the country, a network of nonprofit newsrooms is emerging to fill the void with hard-hitting investigative and public service journalism,” said Institute for Nonprofit News chief of growth programs Courtney Hurtt. “NewsMatch plays a crucial role in launching and growing these organizations by building a groundswell of community support that will sustain this important work.”

(Photo credit: NewsMatch)