Montclair, NJ -- On Thursday, the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium announced its inaugural round of grants, a milestone in the years-long effort by residents, journalists and local organizations to invest public funding to foster more informed communities.
The Consortium has awarded 14 news-and-information initiatives with grants of up to $35,000. Grant recipients come from every part of New Jersey; their work focuses on diversifying journalism, improving government transparency and providing community-health information, among other issues.
“Thanks to the bipartisan foresight of the legislature and governor, New Jersey has set a national precedent for public funding to inform and engage local communities through the groundbreaking legislation that created the Consortium in 2018,” said Civic Information Board Chair Christopher J. Daggett. “Today’s announcement marks a new beginning for civic information in New Jersey. These grants are funding 14 innovative projects aimed at bolstering access to local news and information, increasing access to community health and training more people in journalism. We received 74 applications this round, from almost every county in New Jersey, which shows a tremendous interest in the Consortium’s mission. We look forward to working with these grantees and thank everyone who applied for this inaugural round of grants.”