Nonprofit Investigative Journalism Funding Initiative Sunsets After 16 years
Sixteen Years of Investing in Accountability Journalism: A Look Back at Inasmuch Foundation's Grantmaking Legacy
After 16 years of sustained investment in nonprofit investigative newsrooms, Inasmuch Foundation closed a significant chapter in its philanthropic work. The Foundation's national journalism grantmaking initiative officially sunset in fall 2025.
A Sixteen-Year Difference
When Inasmuch Foundation began funding nonprofit news in 2009, it was an early-stage movement with fewer than 30 organizations nationwide. That number has since grown to over 500 nonprofit newsrooms, employing thousands of journalists and serving millions of readers with high-quality public-interest reporting.
The numbers
Over 16 years, Inasmuch deployed $18.23 million across 374 grants. That breaks down into two distinct streams of work. The first focused directly on newsrooms: 280 grants totaling $10.2 million to 79 newsrooms operating in 41 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. The second supported the infrastructure around those newsrooms: 94 grants totaling $8 million to 22 journalism support organizations working on training, technology, and capacity building.
The Foundation's commitment to sustained, multi-year support proved particularly consequential. The 39 newsrooms that received Inasmuch funding for at least three consecutive years saw an average compound annual growth rate of 14% between their first and last grant. That kind of consistent backing allowed newsrooms to plan, hire, and build audiences rather than scramble from grant cycle to grant cycle.
Creating a Lasting Impact
As of January 2026, 85% of newsroom grantees are still publishing. Another 9% merged with fellow nonprofit newsrooms, a form of consolidation that often reflects organizational health rather than failure. Only 6% ceased operations entirely. In a media environment that has been challenging for local and regional news outlets, those numbers represent a meaningful survival rate.
The Decision to Sunset
The Foundation’s decision to sunset was a difficult but deliberate one to prioritize funding of Oklahoma journalism initiatives. The shift reflects a natural evolution in Inasmuch's philanthropic priorities after a long and sustained run, and the movement of the field to place-based funding. Inasmuch is immensely proud of the impact seen on the field over 16 years as grantees proved newsrooms can, and will, grow into sustainable institutions if provided with general operating support, delivered consistently over time.
