Knight Foundation’s journalism and media innovation team gets much well-deserved attention for its media innovation work. Less discussed, but no less important, is the education of thousands of students and professionals each year through $200 million in endowed programs Knight has built over several decades to advance journalism excellence. There are dozens of Knight-endowed chair and mid-career training programs. Since most of that work occurs at universities, I’ve also added some context—an analysis of 25 years of Knight’s journalism and media grantmaking to universities. Read more at http://kng.ht/1iiq0jV.

1. Knight Journalism and Media
Grants to Universities
A 25-Year Analysis
1989 –2013
Eric Newton

2. Where the Numbers Come From
Knight grant data: Lindsey Linzer pulled the grants from Knight’s Fluxx archive. We first selected grants to
universities from all Knight programs for the 25-year period from Jan. 1, 1989 to Jan. 1, 2013. Patricia
Kabick and Eric Newton then looked at each grant, eliminating ones that were not about news, journalism
or media innovation. We counted News University, a virtual university, in this study. But we did not count
high school journalism education, focusing on university-level programs. Dollars listed represent the entire
grant awards. Years indicate the time of grant approval.
Total grant dollars: $220,826,920 Grants: 411 Universities: 94
Program size: We adapted the Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication data from
faculty size to enrollment. We collected data from ASJMC’s annual University of Georgia enrollment survey;
numbers posted online by schools and by directly emailing schools. Data mostly represent the 2012-2013
school year.
 Small: 350 students or fewer
 Medium: 351-850
 Large: 851 and above
University size: We used the scale from collegedata.com. When possible, the enrollment figures came
from fall 2013 as listed in the U.S. News and World Report databases. Some schools had old data online, so
some numbers are from 2011-2012 and 2012-2013.
 Small: Fewer than 5,000 students
 Medium: 5,000 to 15,000
 Large: More than 15,000

3. Knight Journalism and Media Grants to Universities
35%
$78,447,234
29%
$64,087,976
21%
$46,205,129
15%
$32,086,581
South Northeast Midwest West
25 years of grantmaking, 1989 to 2013, by region

4. $-
$10,000,000
$20,000,000
$30,000,000
$40,000,000
$50,000,000
$60,000,000
$70,000,000
1989-1993 1994-1998 1999-2003 2004-2008 2009-2013
Dollars to Small, Medium-Sized Journalism Programs Grant Dollars Overall
2009-2013: most dollars to small, medium programs

5. $-
$10,000,000
$20,000,000
$30,000,000
$40,000,000
$50,000,000
$60,000,000
$70,000,000
$80,000,000
1989-1993 1994-1998 1999-2003 2004-2008 2009-2013
Dollars to Small, Medium-Sized Universities Grant Dollars Overall
Giving grows to small, medium-sized campuses

6. Grantee Amount Region
University/
program
Purpose
Massachusetts
Institute of
Technology
$5,000,000 Northeast Medium/
Medium
Mid-career training for
science reporters
University of
Missouri
$2,222,000 Midwest Large/
Large
New building for leading
journalism school
University of
Maryland
$1,944,734 South Large/
Medium
Mid-career training in
specialty journalism
Northwestern
University
$1,507,188 Midwest Large/
Large
Newspaper management
center support
University of
North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
$1,077,000 South Large/
Large Endowed chair
Top five JMI grants to universities, 1989-1993

7. Grantee Amount Region
University/
program Purpose
Queens
University of
Charlotte
$5,750,000 South Small/
Small
Pioneering program in
digital media literacy
Massachusetts
Institute of
Technology
$4,665,000 Northeast Medium/
Medium
Innovative civic media ideas,
tools and networks
Northwestern
University
$4,585,000 Midwest Large/
Large
Digital tools and student
developers
Mercer
University
$3,836,000 South Medium/
Small
Pioneering collaborative
newsroom program
City University
of New York
$3,332,800 Northeast Large/
Small
First master’s degree in
entrepreneurial journalism
Top five JMI grants to universities, 2009-2013