The Public Interest News Foundation (PINF) has announced a total of £249,140.97 in seed funding from Luminate, JRRT and JRCT. This funding will enable PINF to continue to grow into the next two years, with a view to developing leadership and capacity building programmes to support publishers, as well as research into the public interest news sector in the UK.
Jonathan Heawood, Executive Director of PINF, said: ‘We are grateful to Luminate, JRRT and JRCT for their support for PINF and public interest news publishers in the UK media ecosystem serving diverse audiences across the UK. This funding will allow us to continue to build PINF in a significant way, and develop research and leadership programmes into 2021. We look forward to working with stakeholders across the news industry to unlock the potential of public interest news publishers.’
PINF was set up in November 2019 to support independent public interest news publishers to provide audiences with high-quality public interest journalism, and as a result of a publishers taskforce set up by IMPRESS to assess the challenges outlined by the Cairncross Review. In September 2020, it was awarded charitable status by the Charity Commission. During 2020, PINF delivered an Emergency Covid-19 Fund and a Professional Development Programme for independent public interest news publishers.
FUNDING SECURED:
From Luminate: £76,500.97 for core funding.
From the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust (JRRT): £60,094 (over a year from October 2020.)
From the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT): £112,546 (over two years.)
PINF is working to secure funding for independent public interest news publishers in the UK. In the long term, PINF aims to provide grants and other forms of support. In the meantime, it will use this seed funding to build understanding and support for independent and public interest news publishers.
NOTES
About the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF)
The Public Interest News Foundation (PINF) is a charity supporting public interest news organisations to tell the stories that matter. At PINF, we aim to bring out the value of public interest news of every kind. Through capacity building, leadership training, advice and networking, we can support them to unlock their potential to strengthen our democracy.
Public Interest News Foundation is a registered Charity No. 1191397. Registered as a Company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 12320800.
About Luminate
Luminate is a global philanthropic organisation focused on empowering people and institutions to work together to build just and fair societies. Luminate supports innovative and courageous organisations and entrepreneurs around the world, and advocates for the policies and actions that will drive change across four impact areas: Civic Empowerment, Data & Digital Rights, Financial Transparency, and Independent Media. Luminate works with partners to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to participate in and to shape the issues affecting their societies, and to make those in positions of power more responsive and accountable. Luminate was established in 2018 by philanthropists Pierre and Pam Omidyar. The organisation was founded by The Omidyar Group. www.luminategroup.com
About the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust (JRRT)
The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust (JRRT) supports organisations and individuals working for democratic and political reform in the UK. The Trust is primarily a grant-maker but also commissions research and organises events about issues it works on.
JRRT is one of three trusts created in 1904 by Joseph Rowntree, the York-based Quaker businessman who made a considerable fortune from the chocolate company that bore his name. He transferred a large part of his wealth to the three trusts: each designed to reflect and tackle contemporary social issues and, to this day, the trusts remain independent of each other. www.jrrt.org.uk
About the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT)
The Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust is a Quaker trust which supports people who address the root causes of conflict and injustice. www.jrct.org.uk