**Google News Initiative Launches Local Experiments Fund to Support Local News Innovators**
**Mountain View, Calif.** – The Google News Initiative (GNI) today announced the launch of the Local Experiments Fund, a new program to support local news organizations as they experiment with new ways to engage with their communities and grow their businesses.
The Local Experiments Fund will provide funding to local news organizations experimenting with innovative approaches to local journalism, including new ways to engage with audiences, generate revenue, and operate their businesses more efficiently.
“Local news organizations are essential to a healthy democracy,” said Richard Gingras, VP of News at Google. “The Local Experiments Fund will help these organizations experiment with new ways to reach and engage their communities, and build sustainable business models for the future.”
The Local Experiments Fund is open to local news organizations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland. Organizations can apply for funding up to $50,000 to support their experiments.
“The Local Experiments Fund is an important step in Google’s commitment to supporting local journalism,” said Matt Cooke, Head of Local News Partnerships at Google. “We’re excited to see the innovative ideas that local news organizations come up with, and we look forward to supporting them as they experiment with new ways to serve their communities.”
The Local Experiments Fund is part of GNI’s broader commitment to supporting local news. In addition to funding, GNI provides training, resources, and tools to help local news organizations succeed in the digital age.
### How to Apply
Local news organizations can apply for the Local Experiments Fund by submitting a proposal online. Proposals should include a description of the experiment, the goals of the experiment, and a budget.
**Applications are due by March 31, 2023.**
### Selection Criteria
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
– **Innovation:** The originality and creativity of the experiment.
– **Impact:** The potential impact of the experiment on the local community.
– **Feasibility:** The feasibility of the experiment, including the organization’s ability to execute it.
– **Sustainability:** The potential for the experiment to lead to sustainable business models for the organization.
### Timeline
– **February 22, 2023:** Applications open.
– **March 31, 2023:** Applications close.
– **May 2023:** Grantees announced.
### More Information
For more information about the Local Experiments Fund, please visit the GNI website.
### About the Google News Initiative
The Google News Initiative is a global effort by Google to support journalism and the news industry. GNI provides training, resources, and funding to news organizations around the world, and works to develop new technologies and products to help journalism thrive in the digital age.
For more information, please visit the GNI website at https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/..
