Local news organisations can now apply for grants of up to £125,000 through a new government fund.
It’s designed to support innovation and long term sustainability.
The Local News Fund, part of the government’s Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan, will provide £6 million during 2026 to 2027, with up to a further £6 million available in 2027 to 2028.
Local newspapers, online publishers, independent local television services and independent local radio stations in England and Wales can bid for funding to invest in digital tools, apps, multimedia services and other projects aimed at reaching new audiences and developing new sources of income. Individual organisations can apply for grants of up to £125,000.
A separate funding stream is also open for organisations developing infrastructure that could benefit the wider local media industry, with grants of up to £275,000 available.
The government said evidence suggests 37 local authority districts no longer have a dedicated local print, online, television or radio news outlet, affecting around 4.4 million people. To address this, £1 million from the second year of the fund will be used to support projects that restore local news provision in these areas.
Media Minister Ian Murray said: “Local media is a cornerstone of our civic life and when it declines, communities lose access to accurate information, scrutiny of decision makers and a vital local voice.”
He added that the fund is intended to help secure “the future of local media across the UK” and encouraged organisations to submit proposals that strengthen local journalism over the long term.
Applicants for the local news grants must demonstrate an established track record of providing local news to audiences in England or Wales.
You can find the application page here.
