James B. McClatchy’s Foundation’s “All in for Central Valley Democracy” marks a transformative chapter in our Sunrise Plan. Centered on a multiracial democracy, inclusive leadership, and community-powered local journalism, our initiative targets the Central Valley—a region lacking philanthropic attention but vital to California’s future.
Recognizing the imminent risks of misinformation during this election year, JBMF has seeded the Central Valley Democracy Fund with $500,000. This fund empowers grassroots leaders and bolsters a free press through rapid response allocations and aims to support 50 partners in the Valley.
What’s at stake?
California’s Central Valley faces several challenges, including a changing demographic, declining local journalism, and a new generation of leaders. The region is considered a battleground for democracy, and its most vulnerable members, such as LGBTQ+ and Trans communities, farmworkers, multilingual learners and their parents, and Muslim, Sikh, and Jewish communities, are under attack due to these challenges.
- The Central Valley Rapid Response Democracy Fund calls for immediate action for California’s Central Valley during the 2024 election cycle.
- The fund is a vital response to ignite civic engagement, resource a thinly networked newsroom infrastructure, and prepare for the 2024 election year.
- Local news is already on the decline, making communities incredibly vulnerable to lack of information or mis/disinformation, which thwarts informed civic participation.
- The region grapples with disparities, lower voter turnout, and a lack of sustained philanthropic partners, making 2024 a crucial year to address these challenges.
- AI-created mis/disinformation is already a threat to accurate fact-based news.
- The Central Valley is not just any region; it is at the heart of decisions nationwide.
- This fund will serves to safeguard democracy and communities most vulnerable to polarization.
Who does the fund support?
The fund moves resources directly to local community leaders to protect and prepare communities to be part of an inclusive and engaged democracy in 2024. The funds will be prioritized as follows, with a focus on local media, multilingual outlets and youth voice:
Activating the Free Press: Grants will strengthen local media outlets, storytelling and narrative change, fact-checking, and promoting media literacy. Civic engagement is directly correlated to consumption of local news. Without a robust local news infrastructure in the Valley, residents are left with national news sites and social media that often provides mis- and disinformation. Independent media organizations ensure that communities have access to unbiased, credible information in the home languages of residents.
Funding Grassroots Nonprofits: Investing directly in diverse, frontline leaders to build a powerful civic engagement and nonprofit leadership infrastructure. Youth-serving, family and parent, and civic engagement organizations are established trusted entities for community voice and civic engagement.
We seek to leverage this impact tenfold. In the face of increasing pressure, polarization, and the absence of robust movement-building infrastructure in the Valley, now is a pivotal moment for philanthropy to step forward and allocate funds strategically. This region is at a crossroads, and our collective action can tip the scales towards positive change. While immediate financial support is crucial, we must also recognize that capacity building and bolstering democratic processes remain essential, ongoing needs. Our sustained commitment to these areas will lay the foundation for a more resilient future.
Join our campaign, partner with us to stand up for the Central Valley’s inclusive democracy, and collaborate on a nimble, trust-based, and human-centered approach to grantmaking.
Learn more about our grantmaking here.
