[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” el_class=”radiometre-1″ z_index=””][vc_column][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n
[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) supports the creation of original civic journalism that covers the diverse needs of <\/span>underserved<\/b> communities<\/b> across Canada, including the needs of <\/span>underrepresented groups.<\/b><\/p>\n Funding is available to eligible Canadian media organizations to hire journalists or pay freelance journalists to produce civic journalism<\/b> for underserved communities.<\/b><\/p>\n The LJI is complemented by the Changing Narratives Fund – LJI Stream<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n To protect the independence of the press, three (3) not-for-profit organizations deliver the Initiative, jointly representing the different segments of the news industry.<\/span><\/p>\n Community Media Coalition, represented by the News Media Canada<\/strong><\/p>\n Consortium of Official Language<\/strong> [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]News Media Canada and the Community Media Coalition, represented by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, are pleased to be working together to deliver a harmonized and consistent LJI program across multiple media sectors. The Consortium of Official Language Minority Community Media has delivered a separate LJI program for their supported media sectors. You can learn more on their website<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]Strategic Advisory Committee<\/strong> Composed of experienced media and communications professionals as well as academics, the committee provides expert consultation to align initiatives with the unique realities of Indigenous (First Nations, M\u00e9tis, Inuit), Black, racialized, ethnocultural, official language minority, and ethnoreligious communities, as well as persons with disabilities and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. The committee provides ongoing guidance on program design and industry outreach while contributing their expertise to the assessment and allocation process.<\/p>\n Strategic Advisory Committee Members<\/b><\/p>\n George Abraham<\/b> (Ottawa, ON) – Founding publisher of New Canadian Media, a platform that proudly sits at the intersection of “mainstream” and “ethnic” media<\/span><\/p>\n Kaylen Belair<\/b> (Saint Laurent, MB) – M\u00e9tis producer in Indigenous radio since 2019, programmer for SiriusXM The Indigiverse, Indigenous Music Countdown, Turtle Island Talks\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Brian Daly <\/b>(Halifax, NS) – Assistant Professor\/Associate Director, University of King\u2019s College School of Journalism, Writing & Publishing; Member of the Board of Directors, Canadian Association of Black Journalists<\/span><\/p>\n Kwende Kefentse<\/b> (Ottawa, ON) – Former community media executive and journalist, cultural policy expert Hafsa Maqsood<\/b> (Calgary, AB) – Bio to come<\/span><\/p>\n Ossie Michelin<\/b> (Montr\u00e9al, QC) – Freelance Journalist and Editor\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dr. Sathya Rao (he\/him\/il)<\/b> (Edmonton, AB) – Professor, Dept of Modern Languages and Cultural Studies, University of Alberta\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Julie Sobowale<\/b> (Toronto, ON) – Bio to come<\/span><\/p>\n Ashley Wadhwani-Smith<\/b> (Maple Ridge, BC) – Bio to come<\/span><\/p>\n Stephanie Watterson<\/b> (Victoria, BC) – Published children\u2019s book author, DEI & BIPOC specialist, communications and publishing professional specializing in neurodiverse writing<\/span><\/p>\n Mel Woods <\/b>(Vancouver, BC) – Senior Editor, Xtra Magazine<\/span><\/p>\n Kim Wheeler <\/b>(Winnipeg, MB) – Bio to come<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]LJI 2025-2027 Program Guidelines<\/a> [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]LJI 2025-2027 Assessment and Selection Process<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]LJI 2025-2027 – Eligible Applicants<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]December 19, 2025[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space]APPLICATION PORTAL<\/a>[vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]FREQUENCY<\/a> – CMC\/CRFC [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]The content produced through the support of this program is made available to media organizations through a Creative Commons<\/b> license<\/a> so that Canadians can be better informed. In addition to a media organization\u2019s publication, the journalistic content are made available via LJI distribution portals<\/b>.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]Looking to apply to the Local Journalism Initiative? Please contact CMC\/CRFC LJI Coordinator Francella Fiallos for more information! <\/span> News Media Canada can be contacted here: lji@newsmediacanada.ca The Consortium of Official Language Minority Community Media can be contacted here: ijl-lji@olconsortiumlo.ca<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]Please\u00a0sign up to the mailing list<\/a> to receive updates from the CRFC about the LJI and the CNF \u2013 LJI stream.[\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]Nov 28, 2025 – LJI launch press release<\/a> [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]2020-2021<\/a> [\/vc_column_text][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_column_text]2023-2024<\/a> We welcome applications from eligible media organizations, but we anticipate that demand for funding will exceed our allocation. If you have questions regarding the decision on your application, please book a meeting with Program Officer Francella Fiallos.<\/a> If you are not satisfied with the decision on your application, complaints can be filed with the CRFC via the procedure outlined in the CRFC’s Appeal Policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you have any feedback, questions, or comments on our news distribution portals Frequency or Fr\u00e9quence, please email francella@crfc-fcrc.ca<\/a>. You will receive a confirmation that the complaint has been received and we will work with you to resolve your concerns. Should you not be satisfied with the proposed resolution, you may escalate your concern to our Executive Director Alex Freedman, who can be reached at alex@crfc-fcrc.ca<\/a>.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_single_image image=”4347″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” img_link_target=”_blank” qode_css_animation=”” link=”https:\/\/www.canada.ca\/”][vc_empty_space][vc_empty_space][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” el_class=”radiometre-1″ z_index=””][vc_column][vc_column_text] ABOUT THE LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE [\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]The Local Journalism Initiative (LJI)…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crfc-fcrc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2314"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crfc-fcrc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crfc-fcrc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crfc-fcrc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crfc-fcrc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2314"}],"version-history":[{"count":56,"href":"https:\/\/crfc-fcrc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4474,"href":"https:\/\/crfc-fcrc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2314\/revisions\/4474"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crfc-fcrc.ca\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n<\/b>Community Radio Fund of Canada (CRFC)<\/b><\/p>\n
\nMinority Community Media<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nApplications for the 2025-2027 program are now open via the online application portal.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n
\nThe Strategic Advisory Committee serves as a primary consultative body for the Community Media Coalition, represented by the Community Radio Fund of Canada, in the delivery of the Local Journalism Initiative (LJI) and Changing Narratives Fund (CNF) stream. This consultation ensures that the diverse perspectives and specific needs of the target communities served by the LJI and CNF are prioritized and integrated at every stage of program delivery.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/p>\nPROGRAM
\nDOCUMENTS<\/h1>\n
\nLJI 2025-2027 Media Organization Profile Form<\/a>
\nLJI 2025-2027 Application Form<\/a>
\nLJI 2025-2027 Self-Identification Form<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\nASSESSMENT AND
\nSELECTION PROCESS<\/h1>\nELIGIBLITY<\/h1>\n
DEADLINE<\/h1>\n
NEWS DISTRIBUTION PORTALS<\/h1>\n
\nFR\u00c9QUENCE<\/a> – CMC\/CRFC
\nLJI NEWS CENTRE<\/a> – NMC
\nNOUVELLES<\/a> – COLMCM[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\nCREATIVE COMMONS<\/h1>\n
CONTACT<\/h1>\n
\n<\/b>Do you have questions about your media organization\u2019s eligibility?<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>Send an email to <\/span>lji-ijl@crfc-fcrc.ca<\/span><\/a> to set up a phone call or video call.<\/span><\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\nMAILING LIST<\/h1>\n
RESOURCES<\/h1>\n
\nDec 2, 2025 – LJI-IJL 2025-2027 Information Session (English)<\/a>
\nDec 2, 2025 – LJI-IJL 2025-2027 Information Session Presentation (English)<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_empty_space][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_empty_space][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=””][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\nPROGRAM
\nRECIPIENTS<\/h1>\n
\n2021-2022<\/a>
\n2022-2023<\/a>
\n2023-2024<\/a>
\n2024-2025<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]<\/p>\nPROGRAM
\nRESULTS<\/h1>\n
\n2024-2025<\/a>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_separator type=”normal”][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]Comments? Questions?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n