American Journalism Project announces new support from Google
WASHINGTON – June 23, 2025 – The American Journalism Project today announced new support from Google to help strengthen the sustainability and fuel the growth of local nonprofit news publishers across the United States.
Google’s investment will advance the American Journalism Project’s work to expand the reach and resilience of nonprofit local news. With this support, AJP will scale high-potential news organizations, mobilize local philanthropy to address information gaps and seed new ventures, and provide ongoing, specialized support to make local news organizations stronger. It will also launch a new accelerator program designed to help news organizations grow their audiences through digital marketing and deepen their reach in the communities they serve.
“As nonprofit newsrooms work to meet the information needs of their communities, audience growth is a critical path to long-term sustainability,” said Sarabeth Berman, CEO of the American Journalism Project. “We’re proud to partner with Google to help local news organizations deepen their reach and impact.”
The accelerator program will be part of the American Journalism Project’s Knight Resiliency Lab, announced in February. The lab will provide the organizations in AJP’s portfolio with specialized support in areas critical to the long-term success of nonprofit newsrooms, including audience growth, earned revenue, talent, finance, product and AI.
“We’re excited to continue our work with the American Journalism Project to help strengthen the local news ecosystem,” said Chrissy Towle, Director of Association and Local News Partnerships at Google. “AJP has a strong track record of growing nonprofit news organizations and building innovative models that are reshaping how local communities access reliable, high-quality information.”
Since its launch in 2019, the American Journalism Project has raised over $225 million to support the growth of nonprofit local news, including more than $68 million in local philanthropy. Its portfolio includes 50 organizations serving communities in 36 states.
About the American Journalism Project
The American Journalism Project is a venture philanthropy dedicated to local news. We believe in civic journalism as a public good and are reimagining its future by building a model to finance and sustain the local news our democracy requires. We make grants to local nonprofit news organizations to build their revenue and business operations, partner with communities to launch new organizations, and mentor leaders as they grow and sustain their newsrooms. To learn more about the American Journalism Project, visit our website.
About Google
Via the Google News Initiative, Google offers journalists and publishers of all sizes a range of resources, products, digital expertise and collaborative solutions that spur progress across the news industry. Our partnerships support the advancement of quality journalism and help publishers build stronger and more sustainable business models. To that aim, we’re working alongside newsrooms, news startups, researchers and content producers worldwide to build a more sustainable, diverse and innovative news ecosystem – so that everyone, everywhere has access to reliable information. Learn more about our work, journalist tools, and funding opportunities at newsinitiative.withgoogle.com.
Media contact: Roshni Neslage, Head of Communications, American Journalism Project, media@theajp.org, 954-526-1565