California Civic Media Program
Forecasted
California Civic Media Program supports California newsrooms with grants for original, fact-based state and local journalism that closes information gaps and strengthens communities.
Funder: California Governor's Office of Business & Economic Development (GO-Biz)
Due Dates (Anticipated): July 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: 2026 awards: $20,000–$250,000 per newsroom; $18.75 million awarded overall
Summary: Direct grants support original, fact-based California state and local journalism that closes information gaps and strengthens communities.
Key Information: The 2026 rules required at least three years of newsroom operation; next-round guidelines will be released in 2027.
Description
The California Civic Media Program is a public-private partnership established through GO-Biz to strengthen California’s journalism ecosystem. It invests directly in state and local newsrooms producing original, fact-based reporting, with priorities to close information gaps, strengthen communities, and ensure California’s press reflects the people it serves. The James B. McClatchy Foundation administers the program, with support from Journalism Funding Partners and Google as the founding private-sector partner.
The program combines journalist staffing-based awards with needs-based adjustments and regional allocations. Its inaugural round supported 214 news organizations across all 13 California Jobs First regions. The funding and eligibility rules below describe the 2026 round; guidelines for the next round will be published in 2027.
