The Institute for Nonprofit News strengthens and supports more than 425 independent news organizations in a new kind of news network: nonprofit, nonpartisan and dedicated to public service. From local news to in-depth reporting on pressing global issues, members of the INN Network tell stories that otherwise would go untold – connecting communities, holding the powerful accountable and strengthening democracy. INN programs help these news organizations develop revenue and business models to support strong reporting, collaborate on editorial and business innovation, share services and advance the diverse leaders who are forging a new future for news.
Thank you for your service as a news organization and information service, for the reporting, for keeping your neighbors safe with factual information, for accurate maps and photos. In crisis, accurate reporting and information saves lives.
The Institute for Nonprofit News (INN) is prepared to grant news organizations based in thedeclared a State of Emergency in Alaska $10,000 in unrestricted funds to support your important work in the face of this disaster. This funding is made possible by the Google News Initiative. In partnership with GNI, INN will support local newsrooms providing essential local reporting in the face of a declared, natural disaster.
Support will be awarded only while available funds last. Applications can be submitted until Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 at 11:59 PM AKST.
Funding will be disbursed as soon as practical by INN. In most cases, it should be within 5 business days of acceptance, though for organizations that aren’t already known to INN, it may take longer.
Eligibility Criteria
- Funding will be given to news organizations located in the state of that are actively producing local coverage of the emergency from the formally declared disaster area. In impacted disaster areas that are considered news deserts, funding may be awarded to nearby organizations that send reporters to the scene to provide critical news and information.
- The formally declared disaster area includes the Lower Kuskokwim Regional Educational Attendance Area, Lower Yukon Regional Educational Attendance Area and Northwest Arctic Borough.
- The organization must be a news operation that regularly provides news coverage. Publishing news coverage merely because of the disaster does not qualify.
- Local coverage must have been published between October 12, 2025 and October 19, 2025.
- INN may do preliminary outreach to outlets that meet its criteria and that it deems eligible, but any organization that meets the criteria will be able to apply.
- The organization must be a member in good standing of a professional media association. INN, LION, LMA, NNPA, NAHP, AAN, a state press association and NPR affiliates are examples, but others will be considered. Please note that INN will typically verify membership.
- The organization must be either a 501c3 nonprofit, or if not a non-profit, an independently owned organization (i.e. not publicly traded or hedge-fund owned) with a total organization budget of less than $5 million annually. In certain cases where the organization is privately held and is the only source of news in an affected community, INN may apply the $5 million cap to just the individual publication, rather than any related outlets.
- To receive funding, applicants must be an organization with an organizational EIN and bank account. Funding will not be awarded to a sole proprietor, individual, or a personal bank account.
- Organizations must have been in operation for at least 12 months.
- Only one award will be given to each company. An organization with multiple publications is eligible for just one award.
- Applications must be submitted by Friday, Nov. 7, 2025 at 11:59 PM AKST.
Funding will be disbursed as soon as practical by INN. In most cases, it should be within 5 days of acceptance, though for organizations that aren’t already known to INN, it may take longer.