The Student Press Law Center is proud to announce a generous $500,000 gift from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to expand its efforts to defend and advance the free press rights of high school and college student journalists.
This support comes as student journalists play an increasingly essential role in communities’ local news and our democracy, while their First Amendment rights are under siege. By expanding its legal services, training and advocacy, the Student Press Law Center will deepen its impact in helping student journalists navigate the law and report powerful journalism.
“This is a transformative moment for the Student Press Law Center. A growing number of student journalists and educators are turning to us for urgent guidance as they navigate reporting on sensitive topics while trying to minimize harm to fellow journalists and sources,” said Student Press Law Center Executive Director Gary Green. “The MacArthur Foundation’s generous investment will allow us to deepen our work at a time when student journalists are both stepping up to fill the gaps in local news and facing new challenges to their First Amendment rights. We are immensely grateful for their partnership in this critical mission.”
This gift will support the Student Press Law Center’s core programs, including its free Legal Hotline, pre-publication review services and educational resources designed to empower student reporters and media advisers to navigate complex legal issues. The funding will also help the Student Press Law Center’s efforts to advocate for stronger student press freedom protections through the New Voices movement.
This gift reinforces the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and safeguarding the freedom of the press. The contribution to the Student Press Law Center is a part of the MacArthur Foundation’s efforts to “meet the moment” and support grantee organizations during this critical time. According to the Foundation, they have committed $60 million on top of their original 2025 budget to more than 60 organizations that are defending democracy or defending their missions in critical areas, including local journalism.
Student journalists are often the first to report on issues affecting their communities. They fill critical gaps in local news by reporting stories that matter and holding the powerful accountable. Yet they face growing challenges, including censorship, prior restraint, retaliation and a lack of institutional support. The Student Press Law Center serves as a critical legal and educational resource for these young reporters and their advisers.
Learn more about our work and how you can support student journalists at splc.org.
About the Student Press Law Center
The Student Press Law Center is the nation’s only legal organization devoted exclusively to defending and advancing the free press rights of student journalists. For more than 50 years, the Center has helped students and their educators navigate the law, strengthen their reporting and stand up for press freedom. The Student Press Law Center equips students with the legal knowledge, tools and confidence to report powerful journalism and to stand up for their First Amendment rights through free legal help, training and education, advocacy and public awareness.
About the MacArthur Foundation
The MacArthur Foundation boldly invests in creative solutions to urgent challenges, sparking hope for our future. We work on a few big bets that strive toward transformative change in areas of profound concern, including the existential threats of climate change, the challenges of criminal justice reform, revitalizing local news in the U.S., and corruption in Nigeria.
In addition, we maintain enduring commitments in our hometown Chicago, where we invest in people, places, and partnerships to build a more inclusive Chicago and in journalism and media, where we invest in more just and inclusive news and narratives.
We also make awards to extraordinarily creative individuals through the MacArthur Fellows program and for solutions to critical problems of our time through 100&Change.