🚀 $2.4 Million Grant Elevates LAist's Mission to Provide High-Quality Local Journalism

LAist will get a big boost in its mission to expand and improve independent local journalism. LAist will increase its region-wide accountability journalism, which holds powerful individuals and institutions accountable for their actions in the public interest, with a $2.4 million grant from the L.A. Local News Initiative over five years.

LAist is set to receive a significant boost in its mission to expand and enhance the availability of high-quality, independent local journalism. A $2.4 million grant, disbursed over five years as part of the L.A. Local News Initiative, will enable LAist to significantly increase its region-wide accountability journalism, which focuses on holding powerful individuals and institutions accountable for their actions as part of serving the public interest. 

The grant is made possible through support from the L.A Local News Initiative, which is funded by the The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, the Spiegel Family Fund, and the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation. This investment is part of a larger $15 million effort by the L.A. Local News Initiative to increase access to quality, independent local journalism to all residents of Los Angeles.

A collaboration between media and philanthropy leaders in L.A., the L.A. Local News Initiative, organized by local civic leaders and the American Journalism Project, is aimed at revitalizing the local journalism landscape. This investment will help increase the overall volume of impactful journalism available to L.A. residents, further ensuring that communities across the region have access to the vital information they need.

 “We are thrilled and deeply grateful for this grant from the L.A. Local News Initiative, which will not only empower LAist to expand our coverage but also foster even greater collaboration with our partners,” said Alejandra Santamaria, President and CEO of LAist. “This support will enable us to increase the depth of our accountability journalism, ensuring that more Angelenos have access to the stories that matter and impact their lives.”

 The funding will allow LAist to scale up its reporting capacity, devote more reporters to watchdog powerful institutions and people, and further strengthen its partnerships with local media outlets and universities. The expansion of this collaborative approach will contribute to a more comprehensive and inclusive media ecosystem across L.A., bringing more journalism to more people.

 This support comes at a crucial time for local news, which has been facing significant challenges. Since 2005, California has lost one-third of its newspapers, according to a Northwestern Medill School of Journalism report in 2023. Additionally, the number of journalists in the state has dropped by 68%. While many news organizations have turned to digital formats to adapt, they continue to face challenges in expanding their readership and securing steady revenue streams.

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