Frequently Asked Questions

1. How can I contact an individual at Knight Foundation?

Call (305) 908-2600 to speak with our operator.
Send an email to Webmaster Robertson Adams via adams@knightfoundation.org if you don't know a Knight staff member's e-mail address. The webmaster will forward your communication to your party.
Send postal mail to John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, 200 South Biscayne Blvd., Suite 3300, Miami, FL 33131-2349

2. Where can I get a photo of a member of Knight's staff?

Go to the staff page for that person and there's a link at the bottom of their profile page.

3. How can I "apply" for a grant?

Knight Foundation provides several opportunities to apply for funding. Please visit our Apply for Funding page for information and instructions.

4. Where can I download the Knight Foundation logo?

5. What is the Foundation's policy with regard to indirect costs and overhead costs?

Knight Foundation does not pay indirect administrative fees to grantee organizations. Exceptions may be made if the grantee organization is providing a necessary service directly related to the grant. Based on the recommendation of program staff, on an individual case basis, Knight Foundation will consider indirect fee payments of up to 10% of a proposed grant.

6. What is Knight's National Program?

Knight Foundation integrates national strategic initiatives across all three focus areas – media innovation, community engagement and the arts – aiming for transformational impact through lasting and systemic change.

7. How often can an organization apply for a grant?

There are no restrictions on how often an organization may submit a funding request.

8. What happens after I submit a Letter of Inquiry?

Letters of Inquiry are reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis. Applicants will receive an e-mail that either invites the submission of a full proposal, or explains that Knight Foundation is not interested in funding the request.

9. What journalism ideas have the best chance of getting funded? Innovative projects that help lead journalists into the 21st century.

Look through our current journalism grants and prior winners of the Knight News Challenge. We love new ideas that solve a problem, create lasting, visible change and can be copied by others. For the Knight News Challenge, we're looking for digital innovation and new forms of news in the public interest.

10. How can we obtain additional information?

Our website offers information about Knight Foundation’s history, communities, programs, grant making, publications and current news.

11. What are the foundation's deadlines?

Knight Foundation does not have deadlines as part of its standard grant making process. We review Letters of Inquiry on an ongoing basis. Initiatives such as the Knight News Challenge, Knight Community Information Challenge and Knight Arts Challenge are contests that have distinct start and end dates. Please refer to each initiative to determine the timeline for the current year.

12. Who are the Knight brothers and what is their connection to journalism?

John S. ("Jack") Knight and James L. ("Jim") Knight founded the Knight Newspapers. The company merged with Ridder Publications and became Knight-Ridder Newspapers in 1974, which until 2006 was Knight Ridder Inc. John S. Knight died in 1981 and James L. Knight died in 1991. Knight Ridder Inc. was purchased by the McClatchy Co. The foundation is their legacy to communities where they had newspaper operations up through 1991 and to the profession of journalism worldwide. Knight Foundation is and always has been private and independent of Knight Ridder. Read more about the Knight brothers’ legacy.

13. Are there programs Knight Foundation doesn't fund?

Yes. Here is a list of programs Knight prefers not to fund:

Requests for support of fund-raising events;
Charities operated by service clubs;
Activities that are normally the responsibility of government. (The foundation will, in selective cases, join with units of government in supporting special projects.)
Medical research;
Organizations or projects whose mission is to prevent, eradicate and/or alleviate the effects of a specific disease;
Requests from hospitals (unless they are for community-wide capital campaigns with a stated goal and beginning and ending dates or for specific projects that meet foundation goals.)
Activities to propagate a religious faith or restricted to one religion or denomination; Support of political candidates;
Memorials;
Group travel and honoraria for distinguished guests — except in foundation initiatives;
Scholarships for individuals.

14. How do we get to the foundation?

15. When and how does an applicant find out if a grant has been made?

All applicants are notified by email or mail of the foundation’s final decision regarding their funding request. Find out more.

16. Is Knight the only foundation that supports journalism? Are there other media funders?

Yes, there are many funders that support journalism directly or as part of their other strategic goals. Each one is different. You must look at their websites and follow their own directions for contacting them. These foundations include Ford Foundation (http://fordfound.org); Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation (www.journalismfoundation.org); McCormick Tribune Foundation (www.journalismfoundation.org); McCormick Tribune Foundation (www.mccormicktribune.org); Scripps Howard Foundation (www.scripps.com/foundation); Gannett Foundation (www.gannettfoundation.org ); Hearst Foundation (hearstfdn.org) and Open Society Institute (www.soros.org). Knight Foundation also encourages community and place-based foundations to invest in news and information projects through the Knight Community Information Challenge.

17. Where do I find the Knight Foundation grantee report forms?

Active grantees are required to provide progress and final reports on project activities and outcomes. The reporting forms are available here: http://www.knightfoundation.org/grantee-reports/.