Democracy Fund Public Square Program Evaluation

Impact Architects conducted an evaluation of Democracy Fund’s (DF) Public Square Program from 2016 and 2021. During this time, the media industry as a whole shifted its attention to the worrying lack of quality local news serving diverse communities across the United States. During the same time period, the U.S. political and legal systems continued to limit press freedoms, and in some cases, committed outright attacks on the press. And in 2020, the country as a whole turned its attention to racial justice mobilizations, beginning to reckon with a history of inequity, exclusion, and systemic racism, including in the journalism industry. Looking back across these events, DF’s Public Square Program was doing critical work in its Ecosystem News, Trusted and Engaged Journalism, and Press Freedom strategies. DF was well positioned to not only meet the moment, but to support critical partners and lead the work towards systemic shifts in local news, equitable journalism, and press freedom. Over time, DF’s Ecosystem News (EN), Trusted and Engaged/Equitable Journalism (EJ), and Press Freedom (PF) strategies have learned from each other, and the space between them has significantly narrowed to the point where many current grantees and initiatives could fit comfortably within more than one strategy.