Public interest journalism, which is of great significance for society but currently unsustainable, is an area in which philanthropy has an important role to play – to ensure not just its survival, but its growth.
Not only is there little funding available for journalism initiatives within Europe, the field is also siloed: there are few funders that take an ecosystem view, focusing instead on specific elements, specific countries, or specific challenges.
By acting collaboratively, participating foundations show the philanthropic sector’s solidarity with the struggling journalism sector. By pooling journalism funding under the umbrella of Civitates we try to bring home the message that independent, public interest journalism is essential to democracy.
Moreover, Civitates provides an easy entry point for foundations currently not funding journalism, but with an interest in doing so – thereby bringing more resources into the field. Together we can strategically maximize the limited funding available in this area, and catalyze results towards a stronger, healthier, and more sustainable field.