NJ Civic Information Consortium

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NJ Civic Information Consortium

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Investing public & private funds in grants, training, research, and innovation to strengthen local news across the Garden State! 🗞️

linktr.ee/njcivicinfo

10/28/2026

Nearly half of New Jerseyans say their communities need more local news sources.

A new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll commissioned by the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium found that 42% of New Jerseyans believe there aren't enough local news sources in their area.

Meanwhile, just 9% say their local news keeps them very well informed about the most important issues of the day.

These findings highlight an important challenge facing New Jersey's local information ecosystem.

Residents need reliable information about their schools, local government, public spending, neighborhoods, and the decisions shaping their future.

But meeting those needs requires a strong, sustainable network of local news and civic information providers.

At NJCIC, we're working to strengthen that network by investing in the organizations, journalists, and community information initiatives serving residents across the state.

Because informed communities are stronger communities.

🔗 Explore the findings: njcivicinfo.org/eagleton-poll-2026/

10/28/2026

Big congratulations are in order! 🎉🏆

We're proud to celebrate NJCIC Board Chair Chris Daggett, recipient of the Loretta Weinberg Award for Journalism Impact at the 2026 Byrne Kean NJ Journalism Awards!

And the celebrations don't stop there! Journalists from NJCIC grantees NJ Spotlight News and Montclair Local were also recognized for their outstanding reporting and contributions to New Jersey journalism.

👏 John Mooney, NJ Spotlight News
👏 Julie O'Connor, NJ Spotlight News
👏 Matt Kadosh and Asad Jung, Montclair Local

Congratulations to all the honorees helping keep New Jersey informed!

10/27/2026

What does it take to build a stronger local news ecosystem?

It's about more than funding stories.

It's about investing in the people, organizations, and infrastructure that make reliable local news possible.

Through this year's $570,000 in Press Forward New Jersey grants, we're supporting efforts to:

📰 Expand local reporting on issues affecting residents.
🌎 Make news and information more accessible to multilingual communities.
💻 Strengthen newsroom infrastructure and technology.
🤝 Support the long-term sustainability of community-rooted journalism.

Because when more people have access to reliable information about their communities, they're better equipped to participate, connect, and make informed decisions.

Learn more about this year's investments at the link in our bio.

10/26/2026

Big news for New Jersey newsrooms! 🗞️🤍

We're proud to announce our participation in the 2027 Press Forward Matching Challenge through Press Forward New Jersey!

This new national campaign will help participating local newsrooms triple reader donations during April 2027, up to their match goals. A $25 contribution could become $75 to support the local journalism communities depend on.

The opportunity is open to nonprofit and qualifying for-profit newsrooms, with selected participants receiving fundraising training, campaign materials, and other resources to help build sustainable reader support.

📅 Applications open November 2, 2026!

Interested newsrooms can also attend a virtual information session on Friday, October 30 at 12 p.m. ET.

Learn more: https://www.pressforward.news/matching-challenge/

We're excited to help bring this opportunity to New Jersey and support the continued growth of community-centered local journalism!

10/26/2026

📰 Most New Jerseyans aren't attending local government meetings. But many are reading about them.

According to a new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll commissioned by NJCIC:

→ 46% of New Jerseyans read news coverage of a public meeting in the past year.

→ Just 18% attended or watched a municipal, county, or school board meeting.
That means residents were more than twice as likely to read about a public meeting as they were to attend or watch one themselves.

And there's another important finding:
60% of New Jerseyans say they would be more likely to participate in local government if information about public meetings and decisions were easier to find and understand.

Local journalism serves an essential role in connecting residents to the decisions being made on their behalf.

The findings offer a compelling reminder that access to reliable, understandable information matters—not only for keeping communities informed, but for helping residents participate in civic life.

🔗 Read the full Rutgers-Eagleton Poll findings: njcivicinfo.org/eagleton-poll-2026/

10/23/2026

What's happening in your community shouldn't be a mystery.

Whether it's a property tax increase, a proposed development, or a decision by local government, New Jersey residents need reliable information to understand the issues that affect their daily lives.

But new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll findings reveal that 36% of New Jerseyans looked for information about something happening in their community in the past year and struggled to find it.

Among those who had difficulty, the most commonly cited topics included property taxes and municipal spending (39%), housing and development (33%), and local businesses and events (31%).

And this challenge crosses political lines: Democrats, Republicans, and independents reported similar difficulties finding community information.
New Jerseyans deserve access to the information they need to stay informed about their communities.

Strengthening local journalism and civic information is an important part of making that possible.

🔗 Explore the research: njcivicinfo.org/eagleton-poll-2026/

10/22/2026

Meet the organizations helping build a stronger local news ecosystem in South Jersey! 📰

This year's $570,000 investment through Press Forward New Jersey is supporting 13 organizations working to expand local reporting, improve access to community information, and strengthen the sustainability of local journalism.

These organizations are meeting the needs of their communities in different ways: through neighborhood news platforms, bilingual reporting, rural newspapers, multimedia storytelling, and more.

We're proud to support their continued work!

👏🏽 Join us in congratulating the 2026 Press Forward New Jersey grant recipients.

Swipe to meet the grantees, and visit the link in our bio to learn more about their funded projects.

10/22/2026

📣 You're invited! Join NJCIC for our 2026 Public Meetings!

Curious about what the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium does? Want to learn more about our grantmaking, the local news projects we support, or how we're working to strengthen news and information across New Jersey?
Come meet our team and join the conversation!

We're hosting three virtual public meetings this November, and everyone is welcome to attend.

📅 Wednesday, Nov. 4 | 5–6 p.m.
📅 Thursday, Nov. 5 | 10–11 a.m.
📅 Friday, Nov. 6 | 2–3 p.m.
💻 All meetings are virtual and open to the public.

Whether you're in North, Central, or South Jersey, you're welcome at any session. Choose the time that works best for you!

Bring your questions, get to know our team, and learn more about the work we're doing to support local journalism throughout the Garden State.

🔗 Register to attend: https://njcivicinfo.org/publicmeetings/

10/21/2026

🚨 NEW RESEARCH: New Jerseyans want reliable local information. But too many struggle to find it.

A new Rutgers-Eagleton Poll, commissioned by the New Jersey Civic Information Consortium, reveals a significant gap between the information residents value and their ability to access it.

📊 The findings:

36% of New Jerseyans looked for information about something happening in their community in the past year but had difficulty finding it.
42% say there aren't enough local news sources in their area.
77% say reliable public safety and emergency information is very important, while 74% say the same about local taxes and public spending.
60% say they would be more likely to participate in local government if information about public meetings and decisions were easier to find and understand.

These findings reinforce what drives our work: Reliable local journalism and civic information are essential to informed, engaged communities.

When residents can find trustworthy information about the issues affecting their daily lives, they're better equipped to understand what's happening, ask questions, and participate in decisions that shape their communities.

That's why investing in New Jersey's local information ecosystem matters.

🔗 Explore the findings: njcivicinfo.org/eagleton-poll-2026/

10/20/2026

📣 Big news for local news in South Jersey!

Press Forward New Jersey is investing $570,000 in 13 organizations working to strengthen local journalism and expand access to trusted civic information across the region.

From bilingual reporting and community storytelling to newsroom staffing, digital infrastructure, and sustainability, these grants are supporting organizations doing essential work to keep South Jersey communities informed.

With this latest round of funding, Press Forward New Jersey has now invested $915,000 across two South Jersey funding rounds!

Congratulations to all 13 grant recipients! 🎉

🔗 Read the full announcement and meet the grantees at: njcivicinfo.org/pfnj-2026-grants/

Address

1 Normal Avenue
Montclair, NJ
07043

Website

https://njcivicinfo.org/, https://linktr.ee/njcivicinfo

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