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Knight News Challenge on Libraries opens for submissions

Posted by Nina Zenni

The Knight News Challenge on Libraries is now open for applications. Winning applicants will receive a share of $3 million for a project that answers the question: How might libraries serve 21st century information needs?

The challenge hopes to uncover projects from librarians and their collaborators as they transform to meet the needs of our communities. Knight Foundation recognizes that libraries are well positioned to build more informed and engaged communities and promote stronger democracies. This challenge is an opportunity to discover new ways the library world can meet the demands of their communities in this increasingly digital world.

The Knight News Challenge will be open to anyone working in the U.S., including public and private libraries, businesses, nonprofits and individuals. Projects have the chance to receive funding of approximately $35,000 to $500,000 for a grant period of six months to two years.

Many of the projects we fund through the challenge are those which have some early validation and require moderate to larger investments. However, we expect to fund several projects as prototypes, which will receive $35,000 in seed funding. (In the last libraries challenge, we funded prototype projects from several organizations, such as San Jose Public Library, Make it @ Your Library, and DC Public Library.

The challenge closes at 5 p.m. ET on Monday, March 24. During April and May, Knight Foundation will be joined by a group of outside advisers who will assist us in reviewing applications.  Every applicant will be notified about the status of their application during the week of April 11.

The winners of the challenge will be announced in June 2016, in time for the American.

The News Challenge application, available at newschallenge.org, consists of five questions. You'll be able to edit your entry at any time prior to March 24 based on feedback and questions posted on the platform. Please be sure to hit the “Publish” button at the top of the submissions page. This will make your application live on the platform.

If you wish to apply privately, please answer the questions below (following the same guidelines and character limits) in a PDF document titled, “[Project Name], KNC: Libraries Closed Entry” and send to [email protected]before 5 p.m. ET on March 24.

To submit your application, you will be asked to answer the following questions:

  1. Describe your project.
  2. How does your project advance the library field?
  3. Who is the audience and what are their information needs?
  4. Please list your team members and their qualifications.
  5.  Please provide your organization name and its city and state.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll offer many opportunities for you to ask questions and learn more about the challenge. Here is some of what we have planned:

●      Join us for virtual office hours Feb. 25 and March 16 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET each day. You can access this meeting online using ID 451 981 706 or participate via phone by calling (888) 240-2560.

●      Vice President of Media Innovation John Bracken will be answering questions on reddit for an Ask Me Anything chat at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 29. To access, please go to reddit IAmA and click on the thread titled, “I’m John Bracken, VP for media innovation at Knight Foundation. AMA about the Knight News Challenge on Libraries, our nationwide search for ideas, Knight Foundation and everything else.

To learn more, please visit newschallenge.org to apply, view our challenge brief, timeline, FAQ page, and applications from the last News Challenge on Libraries. Keep an eye on Knight Blog for updates, tips for applying and promotional events. You can also reach us with questions on Twitter via@knightfdn, @heychrisbarr, or via e-mail [email protected].

Nina Zenni is a media innovation associate at Knight Foundation.