Independence Public Media Foundation

Your Story Is yours. courageous. important. joyous.

Change the way stories are told, who tells them, and who holds the power in media and digital access.

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We’re redefining philanthropy so you can redefine media

The Independence Public Media Foundation connects creators, industry experts, community organizations, and philanthropists to support community-driven media-making and storytelling. We’re committed to transforming the Greater Philadelphia region into a hub for community-owned media, redefining the role of community in philanthropy, and evolving to best meet the needs of the people we serve.

Trust-based Philanthropy

Our process shifts power to the communities we serve, not to the funders, and we’re transparent about how funding decisions are made.

Targeted Funding

We prioritize funding for BIPOC and LGBTQIA-led organizations and individuals to help increase authentic representation of these voices in media.

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Community-led grantmaking

We often collaborate with community members on project ideas, funding recommendations and ways to contribute to IPMF’s evolving process.

Redefining Philanthropy

Our work is led by your work

Grantees are community organizations, documentary filmmakers, digital storytellers, journalists, grassroots media groups, and more. We prioritize Philadelphia-based media-makers, small organizations and start-ups as well as creators from marginalized groups. See our grantee partners to get inspired—and see yourself in their work.

A person wearing a Stop The Violence black t-shirt looks at the graves in a cemetary

Project

cinéSPEAK

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Grantee Spotlight

Philly Community Wireless

“Community-owned internet is important because the community decides how they want to set it up and use it. It’s not for a large internet service provider to make money off.”

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Who we serve informs how we fund

We invest in media-making and storytelling efforts that honor the humanity, diversity, and power of community. We also support work that fights inequitable systems that have created access barriers to digital technology.

Program