Knight Cities Challenge will support community-driven ideas that strengthen free expression, expand economic opportunity and bring people together through arts and culture.
Knight Foundation today announced the relaunch of the Knight Cities Challenge (KCC), a $10 million initiative that will fund new community-centered solutions that strengthen local news and information, create pathways for economic opportunity and cultivate connection through arts, culture and the places that bring people together.
The $10 million initiative will be awarded over two cohorts across three years, with up to $5 million available in this first round. KCC will support projects in 26 communities across the country, with grants of up to $200,000.
The challenge launches with an open call inviting project ideas that serve participating Knight communities. Applications are now open from April 1-30.
“When Jack and Jim Knight built their newspapers, they knew that local communities were individual places, with their own cultures and goals,” said Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, president and CEO of Knight Foundation. “Those values guide us today and they are the heart of the Knight Cities Challenge.”
Originally launched in 2015, the Knight Cities Challenges drew more than 16,000 applications and funded 99 projects over three years. The relaunch builds on those lessons by seeding projects of up to $200,000, to be completed within one year, while offering cohort participants opportunities for peer networking and shared learning across communities.
KCC will fund projects that:
Strengthen local information ecosystems by expanding access to reliable information, elevating local storytelling and helping residents better navigate civic news.
Expand economic opportunity by supporting entrepreneurs and unlocking community economic potential that creates new pathways for residents.
Deepen community connection through arts and culture by celebrating local identity, fostering belonging and creating shared spaces for expression and dialogue.
“The most powerful ideas come from people building solutions rooted in their lived experience,” said Francesca de Quesada Covey, vice president for community impact at Knight Foundation. “The Knight Cities Challenge is about giving those ideas — from early sparks to bold experiments — the capital, connections and support they need to grow, scale and strengthen communities across the country.”
Participating communities include Aberdeen, South Dakota; Akron, Ohio; Biloxi / Gulfport, Mississippi; Boulder, Colorado; Bradenton, Florida; Charlotte, North Carolina; Columbia, South Carolina; Columbus, Georgia; Detroit, Michigan; Duluth, Minnesota; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Gary, Indiana; Grand Forks, North Dakota; Lexington, Kentucky; Long Beach, California; Macon, Georgia; Miami /Miami-Dade County, Florida; Milledgeville, Georgia; Myrtle Beach / Conway, South Carolina; West Palm Beach / Palm Beach County, Florida; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; San Jose, California; St. Paul, Minnesota; State College, Pennsylvania; Tallahassee, Florida; and Wichita, Kansas.
To support potential applicants, Knight Foundation will host a virtual information session on April 7 and offer one-on-one office hours on a first-come first-serve basis to answer questions and provide guidance on the application process. Details and registration are available at https://knightfoundation.
