Our Focus
The Western Iowa Journalism Foundation believes that a robust and independent press is essential for a thriving democracy and is dedicated to supporting community-based news sources that provide professional journalism that informs, engages, and reflects the communities they serve. WIJF’s grant program is designed with this in mind.
Our philanthropic endeavors have been developed to meet the following objectives:
Promote and protect democracy by serving as a watchdog on local government and institutions.
Enhance operational/financial efficiency of community news sources.
Support audience growth through technology integration.
Improve community identity and civic engagement.
Assist with succession planning to preserve local news sources.
Encourage local news startups in existing news deserts.
Elevate underrepresented and diverse voices in the interest of equity and belonging throughout the community.
Combat mis/disinformation with verified local news.
Who we Serve
WIJF aims to create a sustainable solution for the important role independent news sources play not only in promoting democracy, but also preserving the identities of rural communities in western Iowa. Therefore, WIJF serves residents in all Iowa counties west of Interstate 35, roughly half of the state of Iowa.
Funding History
To meet its mission, WIJF offers grants to community-based news sources to support local news coverage and digital access that educates, informs, and connects residents in western Iowa. This grant funding is available to both non-profit and for-profit organizations, provided they are community-based news sources in western Iowa.
The following chart details the total yearly amounts of past grants awarded:
