More than a dozen local news providers are receiving a total of $760,000 in support to help increase access to critical information for residents across Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, thanks to the Press Forward South Florida collaboration.

At a time when our need to know is greater than ever, the local news outlets we have long relied on are struggling to keep us informed. Changes in technology, advertising revenues, social media and other factors leave us with fewer reporters to deliver the local news we need.

That’s why the Community Foundation of Broward is part of Press Forward South Florida, a collaboration launched in 2025 to rally support for local news and information to ensure everyone has access to the knowledge communities need to thrive.

Now, Press Forward South Florida’s first wave of grants will help bolster the work of a wide range of South Florida’s news providers. Grant recipients include the South Florida Sun Sentinel and WLRN public radio. Digital start-ups as well as the region’s oldest Black-owned newspaper are receiving grants. Also, support goes to nonprofit outlets serving both English- and Spanish-language audiences.

The Press Forward South Florida collaboration includes the Community Foundation of Broward, Coral Gables Community Foundation, Key Biscayne Community Foundation, Ocean Reef Community Foundation and The Miami Foundation. Press Forward South Florida is also made possible with support from Knight Foundation, the national Press Forward initiative and other donor partners.

After more than a year of study to gauge South Florida news needs, Press Forward South Florida announced its new grants on Sept. 22 at a reception at Miami Dade College’s Freedom Tower. The $760,000 in support includes two types of grants:

• Newsroom Collaboration Grants to support partnerships that allow local news organizations to expand their reach, share resources and serve communities more effectively.
• Newsroom Strength Grants offering resources to improve business operations and long-term planning. That includes a sustainability review and coaching from LION Publishers as well as a $20,000 stipend to implement the sustainability recommendations.

“Local news boosts civic engagement, it decreases polarization and is a powerful antidote to misinformation. And in times of crisis, it is a community lifeline,” said The Miami Foundation’s President and CEO Rebecca Fishman Lipsey said. “We need local news to not just survive but to thrive.”

Additional Support for Local News

The Community Foundation of Broward, The Miami Foundation and other donor partners have also announced additional support to go along with the new Press Forward South Florida grants.

The Community Foundation of Broward plans to provide $50,000 to support local news providers in Broward.

In response to recent layoffs at the Miami Herald, The Miami Foundation plans to provide $100,000 in matching grants to raise support for hiring a Miami city government reporter and to bolster of the work of el Toque News, which provides Spanish-language reporting.

“Quality local news is essential to thriving communities,” said Community Foundation of Broward President/CEO Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, Ph.D. “Our collaboration with Press Forward South Florida will engage residents, philanthropists, businesses and other local leaders to support innovative, dynamic opportunities to increase access to news that informs and enriches the community we serve.”

Research Drives Grantmaking

The Press Forward South Florida grants are a response to what’s been learned from Press Forward South Florida’s report, "The State of South Florida Local News: Community Needs & Opportunities."

Researchers found that our media ecosystem is busy and vibrant — but also fragmented and uneven. The research revealed ongoing gaps between what communities say they need — and how they access information — and what our local news ecosystem can provide.

According to the report, most residents trust local news and want more from it. 61% of survey respondents said local news can be trusted to get things right. 65% said it helps them be a better citizen. More than half said it helps hold leaders accountable. And yet, residents are also telling us that local coverage doesn’t always reflect their lives or their most pressing concerns. A third actively disagreed with the statement “I feel people like me are seen and represented in local media.”

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL REPORT.

Details About the Initial Press Forward South Florida Grants

Recipients of Press Forward South Florida’s Newsroom Collaboration Grants include:

• Sun Sentinel and the nonprofit Florida Bulldog will collaborate on investigative projects that examine the stability and structure of Broward's public health systems. ($75,000)
• WLRN, South Florida's NPR affiliate, will use its funding to create a central audio production hub serving a collaborative journalism network that includes the Key Biscayne Independent, Florida Trib, UM Community News, Caplin News–FIU, Miami Times, Edible South Florida, and other partners. ($100,000)
• Florida International University’s Lee Caplin School of Journalism & Media will create the Caplin Initiative for Civic Journalism, a university-based support network for local newsrooms in partnership with The Biscayne Times, el Toque, Coconut Grove Spotlight, The Miami Times, and other news outlets. ($100,000)
• Hy-Lo News, an online outlet engaging Millennial and Gen Z audiences of color, and The Miami Times, a century-old Black-owned newspaper with deep community roots, will produce collaborative coverage of the voices and issues shaping Overtown, Liberty City, Miami Gardens, and Opa-locka. ($75,000)
• The Florida Trib, a statewide nonprofit news outlet, will increase coverage of the Florida Legislature’s impact on South Florida communities by creating data tools, providing training and collaborating with Coconut Grove Spotlight, WLRN Public Media and other local outlets. ($75,000)
• BOMA (Black Owned Media Alliance), a consortium of more than a dozen media outlets including, will use funds for strategic planning and staffing to jointly develop, distribute, and amplify news across South Florida. ($75,000)

Recipients of Press Forward South Florida’s Newsroom Strength Grants include:

• Browardist
• OutSFL
• WLRN Public Media
• Coconut Grove Spotlight
• Edible South Florida
• el Toque News
• Hy-Lo News
• Impact Edition
• Islander News
• Key Biscayne Independent
• Key West Newswire
• Miami New Times
• The Miami Times

More About Press Forward South Florida

Press Forward South Florida’s mission is to strengthen local news and civic information across the region, ensuring residents have access to information that helps them navigate daily life and participate fully in their communities.

Press Forward South Florida includes The Miami Foundation, the Community Foundation of Broward, the Key Biscayne Community Foundation, the Coral Gables Community Foundation and the Ocean Reef Community Foundation. We are part of a network of 49 Press Forward chapters nationwide, working to strengthen local news so communities stay informed, connected and engaged. It is an initiative spearheaded by the Knight Foundation and The MacArthur Foundation to reimagine local news. For more information about Press Forward South Florida, visit www.pressforwardsouthflorida.news.

Contact the Community Foundation of Broward at info@cfbroward.org or 954-761-9503.