New multi-million-dollar fund for independent journalism in Canada launches

TORONTO, Sept. 3, 2025 /CNW/ - Inspirit Foundation and its partners are proud to announce the launch of the Journalism Futures Fund, a new multi-million-dollar initiative that supports independent journalism to strengthen civic life and democracy in Canada.

Opening today, the inaugural round of the Fund will support small-to-medium organizations that produce impactful journalism, are led by members of communities that are underserved in Canadian media and have a strong vision for their future. 

"This is a timely initiative to support community-rooted journalism," said Jane Rabinowicz, CEO of McConnell Foundation. "We're pleased to support Inspirit's leadership to contribute to a more resilient and representative media landscape."

According to the Canadian Association of Journalists, seven in ten Canadian newsrooms have no Indigenous or minority journalists in their top three roles.

"Editorial leadership that includes underserved communities can help create greater trust in journalism at a time when it continues to wane. Those communities also include Northern and rural communities," said Sadia Zaman, CEO of Inspirit Foundation.

Successful applicants will receive three-year grants of $50,000 to $200,000 CAD per year, paired with support to increase their operational and financial resilience and deepen their audience engagement.

The Journalism Futures Fund was created by a group of Canadian philanthropic foundations. Partners include Inspirit Foundation, McConnell Foundation, Euphrosine Foundation, and the Sonor Foundation. Donors have already committed $3M CAD to the Fund, with a goal of raising $8M by 2029.

The Fund launches at a time when independent outlets are finding new ways to respond to the information needs of communities. While 581 local news outlets have closed since 2008, 283 have launched, according to the Local News Research Project.

Press Forward represents independent publishers.

"This is an historic step toward supporting a thriving, diverse media ecosystem in Canada," said Jeanette Ageson, Chair of Press Forward. "Journalism is a public good that requires the support of our communities to grow, and that growth needs strategic and meaningful investment from funding partners."

Inspirit Foundation will incubate the Fund in its pilot phase, with the guidance of an advisory group of individuals from the philanthropic and journalism sectors. An independent jury will make funding decisions. The funders and advisors are not involved in these decisions.

Applications for the inaugural round of the Journalism Futures Fund are open until September 29, 2025. Visit journalismfuturesfund.org for more information.

SOURCE Inspirit Foundation

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