WASHINGTON — The American Journalism Project announced new support for the Illinois Times to expand its journalism serving Springfield and surrounding Central Illinois communities. The investment will help the longtime newsweekly strengthen its business capacity and build the financial foundation for its next phase of growth as a nonprofit local news organization.
The expansion comes amid accelerating newspaper losses across Illinois. Medill’s latest State of Local News report found that 30 newspapers closed in the state between July 2025 and August 2026, more than in any other state. In greater Springfield, research led by the American Journalism Project identified demand for more local coverage and Illinois Times as the region’s most trusted news source.
“Illinois Times has spent 50 years earning its community’s trust. We’re thrilled to invest in its future: a transformation into a durable nonprofit that brings more original reporting to the people of Central Illinois,” said Sarabeth Berman, CEO of the American Journalism Project.
As it grows, Illinois Times plans to expand its daily digital publishing and add dedicated coverage of municipal government, education, economic development and business. The expansion marks a new chapter for the publication, which was founded in 1975 and transitioned to nonprofit ownership earlier this year when its longtime owner, Fletcher “Bud” Farrar, donated the company to the newly created Local Journalism Matters. Its free weekly print edition will continue to feature long-form and investigative reporting and robust arts and entertainment coverage.
“We want Illinois Times to be the news source residents turn to in order to better understand their community so they can make informed decisions that affect their lives,” said Kate McKenzie, CEO of Local Journalism Matters. “Becoming a nonprofit has opened a new way for our community to support that work. The American Journalism Project’s investment will help us build the fundraising and revenue programs to bring more reporting to our readers and sustain it over time.”
The investment grew out of the American Journalism Project’s Local Philanthropy Partnerships work with the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln, which leads Press Forward Springfield. Together, the two organizations studied greater Springfield’s news needs from 2024 to 2025, helping inform a path toward nonprofit ownership and expanded reporting for Illinois Times. The findings also helped guide Press Forward Springfield’s efforts to mobilize local philanthropic support for the publication’s transition to nonprofit ownership and its plans to expand reporting throughout the region. Earlier this year, the Community Foundation committed $500,000 over three years to Local Journalism Matters, with support from local donor-advised funds and other philanthropic resources. The Community Foundation’s ongoing commitment to Local Journalism Matters will also help the news organization build additional local philanthropic support.
The American Journalism Project’s new $500,000 grant will build on that local commitment, bringing the combined investments to $1 million in support of the organization’s transition and long-term sustainability. AJP’s investment will support a director of development and a corporate engagement manager as the organization builds membership, major gifts and local foundation support. The funding will also be paired with strategic guidance and organizational support to help sustain Illinois Times’ expanded journalism.
“Local news is essential to the informed, connected communities we work to support,” said Stacy Reed, chief program officer at the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln and director of Press Forward Springfield. “Through Press Forward Springfield, we brought local philanthropy together around a shared opportunity: helping a publication people already trust do more for our region. With local and national philanthropy working together, we’re helping Illinois Times build a stronger, more sustainable future. ”
“Strong communities depend on access to trusted, independent local news,” said John Stremsterfer, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “We’ve seen firsthand the important role Illinois Times plays in keeping our communities informed and connected. This investment will help ensure that the publication continues to serve Central Illinois for generations to come.
Illinois Times’ transition is a useful lesson for other newsweeklies and news organizations serving small-city markets. By building philanthropic support alongside its existing earned revenue, the organization is pursuing a model that builds on decades of community trust while creating capacity for more local journalism.
About the American Journalism Project:
The American Journalism Project is the first venture philanthropy organization dedicated to local news. We make catalytic investments in nonprofit news organizations and partner with communities to launch new outlets. Since 2019, we’ve invested in dozens of local news outlets, providing them with capital, strategic guidance and operational expertise to grow their reach and impact. By strengthening and scaling a sustainable field of local news organizations, we are working to ensure that people have access to the trusted, independent local journalism they need to participate in civic life.
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