It Takes a Journalist

Supporting a Global Network in Times of Crisis

Strengthening journalism, and supporting journalists, everywhere.

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ICFJ empowers an unparalleled global network of media professionals – serving 132,000 journalists from 173 countries in the last five years alone. We are dedicated to advancing high-quality journalism that addresses pressing global issues, informs citizens, and improves lives.

ICFJ helps journalists combat disinformation, innovate editorially, and create sustainable business models for independent news outlets as we face a world beset by overlapping crises. Your support is truly meaningful as we quickly deploy funds to assist journalists who are putting their lives on the line to bring us the news.


Priorities at a glance

To nimbly serve journalists so they have the expertise to report on ongoing crises.

Our campaign is providing direct support, training, and resources to journalists.

  • The ICFJ Pamela Howard Forum on Global Crisis Reporting is connecting a community of 13,000 journalists in 134 countries with experts, resources, and with one another.
  • The Joyce Barnathan Emergency Fund for Journalists helps our colleagues facing threats to their personal safety continue their important work.
  • IJNet – ICFJ’s multilingual resource for reporters and editors – provides vital information and guidance in eight languages to equip journalists worldwide to produce high-quality news coverage.
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To help journalists innovate using new storytelling tools and techniques to build trust and engage with audiences.

Many newsrooms lack the time to develop innovative solutions to the challenges facing journalism — from rising disinformation to skeptical audiences to threats from authoritarian leaders. As part of this campaign ICFJ has piloted Leap – ICFJ’s News Innovation Lab, a space for journalists and technologists to explore, design and develop solutions that address specific problems.  In 2022, we completed our first Solution Challenge on Building Trust in News, a 10-week sprint-based program to create and tool or process to engage more deeply with communities and build audience trust. Leap will also support individual innovators to work on projects and tools that can help journalism best serve the public.

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To help news outlets thrive financially amid an ongoing downturn and weak business models, ensuring they can continue to serve the public.

News outlets, especially those serving local communities and operating in fragile democracies, are facing unprecedented challenges and daunting odds. That’s why we are making a special effort to help journalists build new ventures and achieve financial sustainability. Early investments in our It Takes a Journalist campaign have led to the launch of Elevate, ICFJ’s new business hub that is providing independent small and mid-size news outlets with the training and resources they need to become financially viable so that they can provide accurate news to their communities well into the future.

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Campaign Progress

$5,455,043
Raised of goal
55%

“I think it’s very clear that world events have put us right in the center of what we’ve professed to be able to do provide urgent support to journalists. And ICFJ is absolutely doing that with this campaign.”

– Rodman Moorhead, It Takes a Journalist Campaign Vice Chair

Campaign Donors

Principal Gifts

  • Reilly Family
  • Rodman and Alice Moorhead

Leadership Gifts

  • Michael and Anne Golden
  • Pamela Howard

Major Gifts

  • Joyce Barnathan and Steven Strasser
  • Lauretta J. Bruno
  • Ahmed Charai
  • David Elliot Cohen and Laureen Seeger
  • Mario Gabelli
  • James F. Hoge Jr.
  • Alex S. Jones
  • Cabot Kjellerup Foundation
  • Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation Inc.
  • Grant Porter
  • Jonathan Tisch
  • John L. Vogelstein
  • Jason H. Wright
  • Anonymous Donors – 2

Community Gifts

  • Owais Aslam Ali
  • Daniel Barnathan
  • Elliot and Shelly Barnathan
  • Jacqueline Barnathan and Kenneth Marlin
  • Michael Barnathan
  • Diana Barrett
  • Christopher Brody
  • Caption Partners, LP
  • Barbara Cochran
  • Jane D. Coleman
  • William Cooper
  • Catherine Davis
  • Amy Dunkin
  • Lanaea Featherstone
  • Lisa Fiorese
  • John Furth
  • Kristin Gamble
  • Edward Goldberg
  • Susan H. Greenberg
  • John Grover
  • Patrick Hackett
  • John Maxwell Hamilton
  • Stephen Hamm
  • Tim Harper
  • Leon Harris
  • David Henry
  • Joan Hornig
  • Pamela Howard
  • James A. Jacobson
  • Gary Kebbel
  • John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
  • Karen Kotloff
  • Lawrence Kramer
  • Mary Kuntz
  • Sidney and Ruth Lapidus
  • S. Whitfield Lee
  • Reuben S. Leibowitz
  • Zachary Leonard
  • Daniel S. Loeb
  • Steve Magida
  • Travis Mason
  • Karen Lowry Miller
  • Bruce Millinger
  • Eli Mlyn
  • Scott Mlyn
  • Michael Moran
  • Ann and Don Morrison
  • The Nathoo Family Foundation
  • Samuel I. Newhouse Foundation
  • Anne Newman
  • Ellen Glogower-Newman
  • Emma Oxford
  • Carol Pasmore
  • Arthur C. Patterson
  • William Perry
  • Peter Pitegoff
  • Carol Rubin
  • Stephen Shepard
  • Peter Stalker
  • Kathy Field Stephen
  • Anna Strasser
  • Christine Summerson
  • Elizabeth Surcouf
  • Susan Talalay
  • Lizzie and Jonathan M. Tisch
  • Elizabeth Weatherman
  • Matthew Winkler
  • Allen F. Wise
  • Sharon Moshavi and Eric Weiner
  • Ludmila Yevsukov
  • Melissa Young
  • Anonymous Donor

Committee Members

Campaign Chairman

  • Michael Golden
    Former Vice Chairman, The New York Times Company

Campaign Cabinet

  • Ahmed Charai
    Chairman and CEO, Global Media Holding
  • Marci McCue
    Founding Team Member and Head of Marketing, Flipboard
  • Rodman Moorhead
    Former General Partner and Managing Director, Warburg Pincus & Co.

Committee

  • Lauretta J. Bruno
    President, Gramercy Partners LLC
  • David Elliot Cohen
    Author and Publisher
  • John Maxwell Hamilton
    Professor of Journalism and Founding Dean, Manship School of Mass Communication, LSU
  • Pamela Howard
    ICFJ Vice Chair, Trustee Scripps Howard Foundation
  • Alex S. Jones
    Journalist, former director of the Shorenstein Center at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government
  • Rob Rehg
    Chair, U.S. Client Services, Edelman
  • Wendell Reilly
    Chairman, Berman Capital Advisors
  • Jason H. Wright
    Principal, Geer Mountain Holdings LLC

Learn more and join us in our efforts

With your backing, we can help reliable, independent news media survive and thrive.

We invite you to join us in securing a strong future for journalism