The five-year Knight Community Information Challenge is launched as the media world undergoes rapid change and acknowledges that there is less local information readily available. The challenge is premised on two strongly held beliefs: 1) in a democracy, information is essential for a community to function properly; it is a core need, and 2) since community foundations are established to meet core community needs, they are logical partners in meeting the information needs of communities.

This initiative is intended as an opportunity for community foundations to provide civic leadership. It will invite community foundations to propose ideas to meet information needs in their communities. Knight will make $20 million available over five years to match funding for the best of these ideas.

In addition the foundation will fund teams of “circuit riders” – specialists who bring access to resources and expertise – to help community foundations identify information-needs opportunities and develop the ability to plan and execute their ideas.

The project will also include a Media Learning Seminar on Feb. 16-17, 2009 to help community foundations learn about the information needs of communities in democracy. The first such seminar of this kind was held in February 2008 when Knight and the Council on Foundations co-hosted a gathering in Miami. The 2009 seminar will offer an opportunity to exchange current knowledge, review existing information needs projects and share best practices. A companion meeting hosted by the Council on Foundations in October 2009 will reach out to more community foundations.