Miami Herald Impact Journalism Fund

Imagine Miami without watchdog reporting on schools and government, investigations of Jeffrey Epstein and the Surfside collapse, economic reporting on the high cost of housing and the wealth gap, coverage of shortages in Cuba and earthquakes in Haiti, when and where to find COVID testing and vaccines. Local journalism is a critical foundation for fact-based information, accountability reporting and community connection. A strong, independent press is essential for a strong democracy. The Internet and proliferation of information sources have dramatically changed the business fundamentals of local journalism. Since 2004, the number of newspaper reporters has dropped Steve Waldman by more than 60 percent. Some 200 counties and 1,800 communities have no local news source at all. Thousands of Co-founder othershaveso-calledghostnewspapers,whichcontainbarely Report for America any local reporting. One study found that only 17 percent of the articles in local newspapers were about local matters. Nov. 2020 And that was all before Covid-19. Chronicle of Philanthropy In 2000, the Miami Herald / el nuevo Herald employed more than 480 full-time journalists who worked primarily in print on a daily deadlines. Today the two newsrooms have a total of 127 journalists who continually produce new stories, investigative reports, videos, still images, social media posts delivered via print, online, newsletter, podcast, Twitter, text message, Instagram and Facebook. Advertising and subscriptions support the Miami Herald’s publishing systems, distribution and core reporting of schools and government. Expanding our journalism requires private, tax-deductible donations.

Amplifying Impact Other high-quality journalism concerns also depend on philanthropy to support extraordinary initiatives, including The New York Times, the Seattle Times, Raleigh News & Observer, Thomson Reuters and the Associated Press. We are seeing more and more philanthropists – Sarabeth Berman especially local philanthropy – stepping off the sidelines to build a future for local news. The rapid CEO of the American decline of commercial local reporting in our country Journalism Project combinedwithanunprecedentedyearthatmagnifiedthe essential role local news plays in our day-to-day lives is Knight Foundation report driving more philanthropists to rise to the moment and August 2021 ensure the public has the information they need. National funders include the Ford Foundation, which recently gave $1 million to the New Orleans Advocate and Times Picayune for investigative reporting and $150,000 to the New York Times for a disability journalism fellow. The Walton Family Foundation, Steve Ballmer Group and the MacArthur Foundation have all supported local news organizations. Over the past decade, the Knight Foundation has invested more than $338 million in supporting journalism excellence in the digital age. However, tax codes have prevented the Foundation from donating to media once owned by the Knight brothers - including the Miami Herald. Locally, the Esserman Family recognizes outstanding investigative journalism and funds salary and benefits for two emerging investigative journalism fellows at the Miami Herald through the Esserman Fund for Investigative Journalism.

The future of local journalism is in peril. We need the free press to focus on accountability, and that is how journalism plays such a crucial role. Charlene Esserman Philanthropist Where The Money Goes Private philanthropy supports specific journalistic positions and initiatives. It does not go to overhead or salaries for existing employees. We work with the Miami Foundation and our 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor, Journalism Funding Partners, who ensure that private philanthropic donations are used as promised and in accordance with donor intent. Journalism funded by donations is free to all readers. Content created by journalists funded by the Miami Herald Impact Journalism Fund are exempt from our paywall. Report for America match: The Miami Herald and el Nuevo Herald work with Report for America, which this year placed 226 journalists in 163 newsrooms nationwide. RFA funds a portion of each salary. This year, the Miami Herald must raise an additional $107,000 in matching funds to cover salary and benefits for three RFA fellows. Extraordinary reporting expenses: Support for enterprise reporting, legal fees for public records access, extended travel for disaster reporting and consulting fees for outside experts. Coverage that impacts and aligns: with our mission to reach diverse and underserved communities. Impact journalism initiatives: Investigative and accountability journalism are hallmarks of the Miami Herald’s coverage, earning 22 Pulitzer Prizes. But life in our complex South Florida community extends beyond government and schools. Other publications have created desks with multiple journalists focused on singular topics such as education and equity. In fast-moving Miami, we’ve set these funding priorities for 2021/2022: • Technology / VC reporter : The flood of new tech and finance firms to South Florida brings opportunities and challenges to our region. While many newsletters are posting topline news, only the Herald is positioned to provide context and dig deeply into the community changes this will create. • $164,000 (salary / benefits for an experienced reporter for two years)

• Highrise vulnerability investigations: The Surfside condo tragically underscored the need to review all coastal highrise buildings more than 30 years old. In Florida, only Miami-Dade and Broward (Fort Lauderdale) counties require 40-year recertification of condos. That leaves condo buildings throughout the rest of the state at risk -- along with all hotels and offices. The goal: to ensure physical safety for residents and visitors. • Immediate need: $15,000 (engineering consulting fee), $65,000 (data visualization reporter) • Two-year statewide investigation: $800,000 (full budget available) • Climate desk: Florida is Ground Zero for rising seas: meaning lessons learned here have wide applicability. Covering the broad range of climate-change impacts -- including extreme heat, red tide, flooding, potential impacts on infrastructure, economic ramifications -- requires a full desk devoted to the South Florida and Bradenton markets we serve. And more, we need to explore adaptation and solutions that can inform governments and residents. That requires a team comprising reporters, editors and graphics specialists. Today we have a single reporter. • $60,000 grant match to fund climate editor for two years • $164,000 for salary / benefits for one additional reporter for two years • $750,000 for two-year commitment (full budget available) Also on our needs-list are journalists focused on education, access to healthcare, faith and religion, mental health, audio and video journalism, data reporting and community living. Learn More We welcome tax-deductible donations of all sizes, to the Miami Herald Impact Journalism Fund at the Miami Foundation. Donors making annual gifts of $1,000 or more will be recognized publicly among Friends of the Miami Herald. You can find more information at our website or by contacting Jane Wooldridge, Senior Director for Journalism Sustainability + Partnerships, at [email protected].