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Grant funders / Florida / John S and James L Knight Foundation

John S and James L Knight Foundation

Miami, Florida  ·  EIN 650464177  ·  Private foundation

Based in Miami, Florida, John S and James L Knight Foundation has awarded $793.2M across 3,588 grants in our index of public IRS filings, with giving recorded as recently as 2024. Its largest grant on record went to University of Akron Foundation. This profile covers its focus areas, top grant recipients, year-by-year giving, and how a nonprofit should approach it.

$108.3M
Annual giving (FY2020)
$2.53B
Total assets
3,588
Grants tracked
2024
Most recent grant

What John S and James L Knight Foundation funds

John S and James L Knight Foundation's giving carries a documented focus on adult education, arts & culture, arts education, civil rights & social justice, community improvement, and related causes.

Adult EducationArts & CultureArts EducationCivil Rights & Social JusticeCommunity ImprovementCriminal JusticeDisability ServicesDomestic ViolenceEarly Childhood EducationEconomic Development

Populations it has supported include black communities, children, disabled, families, foster youth, hispanic communities.

black communitieschildrendisabledfamiliesfoster youthhispanic communitieshomeless populationindigenous

Grant history

The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for John S and James L Knight Foundation, by amount:

RecipientLocationGrantYear
University of Akron Foundation
TO SUPPORT THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE POLSKY BUILDING INTO A CENTER OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP, COMMUNITY COLLABORATION, ARTISTIC PERFORMANCES AND L
Akron, OH$12.0M2023
Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
TO SUSTAIN THE KNIGHT FIRST AMENDMENT INSTITUTE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, WHICH WILL PRESERVE BROAD FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN THE DIGITAL AGE
New York, NY$10.0M2019
The Miami Foundation
TO SUPPLEMENT THE KNIGHT FOUNDATION ADVISED FUND FOCUSING ON COMMUNITIES, JOURNALISM, AND ARTS AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING INFORMED AND ENGAGED
Miami, FL$5.5M2019
American Journalism Project
TO PROVIDE THE LEAD INVESTMENT IN THE AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT, (AJP) A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND VENTURE PHILANTHROPY ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON GR
Austin, TX$5.0M2019
The Associated Press
TO SUPPORT THE ASSOCIATED PRESS TO ENSURE STATE-BASED, PUBLIC-SERVICE JOURNALISM IS AVAILABLE IN 50 STATES WHILE AP DEVISES A NEW LOCAL NEWS
New York, NY$5.0M2024
The Miami Foundation
TO SUPPLEMENT THE KNIGHT FOUNDATION ADVISED FUND FOCUSING ON COMMUNITIES, JOURNALISM, AND ARTS AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING INFORMED AND ENGAGED
Miami, FL$5.0M2018
Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York
TO SUSTAIN THE KNIGHT FIRST AMENDMENT INSTITUTE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, WHICH WILL PRESERVE BROAD FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS IN THE DIGITAL AGE
New York, NY$5.0M2020
American Journalism Project
TO PROVIDE THE LEAD INVESTMENT IN THE AMERICAN JOURNALISM PROJECT, (AJP) A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND VENTURE PHILANTHROPY ORGANIZATION FOCUSED ON GR
Dc, WA$4.5M2022
The Miami Foundation
TO PROVIDE UP TO $10,000,000 TOWARDS THE ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS OF PRESS FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT THE ENTIRE PRESS FORWARD INITIATIVE MAXIMIZES
Miami, FL$4.0M2023
Georgetown University
TO SUSTAIN THE INSTITUTE, WHICH WILL CONVENE, SUPPORT AND PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE, ACTIONABLE, NONPARTISAN INSIGHTS TO THE STAKEHOLDERS AND INSTI
Washington, DC$4.0M2024
Florida International University Foundation Inc
TO SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THE SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATION SCIENCES (SCIS) AT FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY AS IT SEEKS TO BECOME A
Miami, FL$3.5M2022
The Miami Foundation
TO SUPPLEMENT THE KNIGHT FOUNDATION ADVISED FUND FOCUSING ON COMMUNITIES, JOURNALISM, AND ARTS AS A MEANS OF DEVELOPING INFORMED AND ENGAGED
Miami, FL$3.1M2018
Groundtruth Project Inc
TO RECRUIT, HIRE, TRAIN AND PLACE REPORTERS FROM A VARIETY OF EXPERIENCES AND BACKGROUNDS INTO LOCAL NEWSROOMS, AND BUILD DURABLE LOCAL REVE
Boston, MA$3.0M2024
The Miami Foundation
SUPPORT THE GROWTH, ADAPTATION AND DIVERSIFICATION OF NEWSMATCH IN THE PRESS FORWARD ERA, TO INCREASE THE COMPETENCY OF NON-PROFIT PUBLISHER
Miami, FL$2.9M2024
The Miami Foundation
TO FOSTER HEALTHY COMMUNITIES BY AIDING LOCAL NEWS PUBLISHERS IN THE PRODUCTION OF FACT-BASED STATE AND LOCAL ELECTION REPORTING, WITH A FOC
Miami, FL$2.8M2024

John S and James L Knight Foundation giving by year

Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:

2017$104.0M
2018$93.5M
2019$117.4M
2020$108.3M
2022$102.3M
2023$120.0M
2024$147.7M

How to apply for funding from John S and James L Knight Foundation

From John S and James L Knight Foundation's IRS Form 990-PF, on how it handles applications:

“WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SPECIAL INITIATIVES AND CONTESTS, THE FOUNDATION DOES NOT HAVE DEADLINES.”

Verify the current process on the foundation's own materials before sending anything. You can review the foundation directly at kf.org.

Is John S and James L Knight Foundation the right funder for your nonprofit?

This page shows what John S and James L Knight Foundation has funded. Bespoke Grants tells you whether it fits your mission — and finds every other foundation that does. Free, no credit card.

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Frequently asked questions about John S and James L Knight Foundation

Does John S and James L Knight Foundation accept grant applications?
Yes — John S and James L Knight Foundation's IRS filing describes an application process. Confirm the current details directly with the foundation before applying.
What does John S and James L Knight Foundation fund?
John S and James L Knight Foundation's grants focus on adult education. Recent recipients include University of Akron Foundation, Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, The Miami Foundation. Its full grant history is listed above.
How much does John S and James L Knight Foundation give in grants?
John S and James L Knight Foundation reported $108.3M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $793.2M over 3,588 grants.
Where is John S and James L Knight Foundation located?
John S and James L Knight Foundation is based in Miami, Florida. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 650464177.
How can I find foundations similar to John S and James L Knight Foundation?
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Other Florida grantmakers with overlapping priorities:

About this profile. This page is built from John S and James L Knight Foundation's public IRS Form 990-PF and 990 filings, indexed by Bespoke Grants alongside 13M+ grants from 225,000+ U.S. foundations. Grant figures reflect filings available to date; IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag. Bespoke Grants is not affiliated with John S and James L Knight Foundation. Always confirm current giving priorities and application procedures with the foundation directly before applying.