The American Press Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that supports local and community-based media through research, programs and products that foster healthy, responsive and resilient news organizations. It is an educational affiliate of the News/Media Alliance.
Most of API’s funding comes from investments accumulated throughout the organization’s history, which dates to 1946, including assets from the former Newspaper Association of America Foundation, which merged with API in 2012.
The American Press Institute also receives funding from individuals and philanthropic foundations that support our mission.
Other funding sources for API include revenue generated by its news products, such as Metrics for News and Source Matters, and its consulting services.
Table Stakes Local News Transformation Program
The Table Stakes Local News Transformation Program, a comprehensive change management program for news organizations, is underwritten by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund. The fund is supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Lenfest Institute for Journalism to foster “innovation in journalism, community engagement, technology and business models.”
API Inclusion Index
The API Inclusion Index assesses and improves how multiple news organizations in one geography or serving similar demographic groups connect with and cover those communities, while also improving their internal culture.
API Inclusion Index work in Western Pennsylvania is funded by the Henry L. Hillman Foundation, the Heinz Endowments and The Pittsburgh Foundation.
Beyond Print
Beyond Print helps guide traditional newspaper organizations away from print models and toward a sustainable digital future with resilient business models focused on the changing habits and attitudes of news audiences. Beyond Print is supported by an anchor donation by the Andrew and Julie Klingenstein Family Fund with additional funding from The Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund, a joint initiative of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and The Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
API Local News Summits
General Operating Support
In 2022, the Levi Strauss Foundation awarded the American Press Institute a two-year contribution to support its general operating budget.
Funding for Hosted Projects
Trusting News, an independent project of the Reynolds Journalism Institute and the American Press Institute, receives support from the American Press Institute and RJI, as well as The Knight Foundation, New Pluralists, Mercatus Center, Henry Luce Foundation, and Scripps Howard Fund. API also serves as the project’s fiscal sponsor.
Previous Support
Since 2013, the American Press Institute has received funding from the following organizations: the Boston Globe, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, Democracy Fund, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Google, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, News Integrity Initiative at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, the New York Times, the North Carolina Local News Fund, the Rita Allen Foundation and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, among others.
