As New Jersey faces a local news crisis, the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium (NJCIC) has invested more than $10 million in grant funding to 65 organizations across the state since 2021. According to its 2025 Impact Report, this funding has been instrumental in supporting local journalism, addressing news deserts, and training a new generation of storytellers.
The report highlights the tangible results of this investment. As of May 2025, 32 of the consortium’s grantees have produced an impressive 9,065 stories and 14,493 news briefs. These outlets have a strong focus on community-level reporting, with 12 providing hyperlocal coverage and 10 focusing on regional news.
“When print media and the information it holds vanish, so, too, does our ability to engage, respond, and hold power to account,” former New Jersey Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg stated in an op-ed on northjersey.com. “Simply put, the absence of local news is the undoing of democracy”. The NJCIC was created by the state legislature and Governor Phil Murphy in 2018 to combat this trend.
A Lifeline for Community-Focused Journalism
The impact of the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium funding is deeply felt by its grantees. Many report that the financial support has allowed them to cover basic operational needs, such as affording insurance for the first time or paying contributors who were previously volunteers. For some, the grants have enabled them to dedicate their full attention to their local media projects.
The report showcases several case studies of organizations that have thrived with the consortium’s support:
- Radio Jornalera NJ: This independent outlet for the Spanish-speaking immigrant and working-class community has seen significant audience growth. One of its TikTok videos covering an ICE raid in Princeton received 1.9 million views. The consortium has provided $270,000 to help build its radio programming and train street reporters from the community.
- Industry Media Arts: This nonprofit provides media training to high school students, partnering with universities and community colleges. With nearly $200,000 in funding from the consortium in 2023 and 2024, it has been able to restart and expand its student-focused programs.
- Public Square Amplified (PSA): A nonprofit newsroom in Newark led by Black women, PSA focuses on issues of democracy, social justice, and racial equality. The consortium has invested $295,000 in PSA’s pipeline initiative and operations, which has helped train 43 community reporters since 2021.
- The Jersey Bee: Formerly the Bloomfield Information Project, this nonprofit news provider developed an innovative, patent-pending system called Harvest that uses AI to gather and report civic news. It has received $320,000 in grant funding from the consortium since 2021.
Strengthening Diverse Voices and Training Future Journalists
A significant portion of the consortium’s efforts is aimed at ensuring New Jersey’s diverse communities are represented in the media. Of the projects funded, 48% are BIPOC-led. Grantees have produced 3,856 stories specifically for ethnic/BIPOC and Spanish-language communities. Nine outlets that received funding focus on BIPOC communities and other marginalized voices.
The consortium is also committed to building a robust journalism pipeline. Its funding has supported the training of 1,271 residents, including children, teens, and adults, in reporting and storytelling. These pipeline programs have led to 71 participants securing jobs, internships, or choosing to major in journalism or media.
“The NJCIC grant allows us to show up – often as the only news outlet covering Black and Latino communities in South Jersey,” said Clyde Hughes, Founder of Front Runner New Jersey.
The report concludes that continued funding is essential to sustain and build upon these successes. The New Jersey Civic Information Consortium’s model demonstrates a promising path forward for revitalizing local news and strengthening civic engagement across the Garden State.
