Knight Emerging City Champions Program 2025-2026

The Knight Emerging City Champions Program is a funding and leadership development opportunity for young civic innovators in the United States. It provides seed funding, technical support, and training to help develop community projects in Knight Foundation’s eight resident communities. This is the eighth cohort of the program, which supports local civic engagement and creative urban projects.

Seed funding, tech grant, virtual training, technical support, and access to a national network of urbanists.

Applicants must live in the United States, be ages 18-35 at the time of application, and be able to travel to Canada for the KECC Studio if selected. They must propose a project that connects residents and strengthens local resilience in one of Knight Foundation’s eight eight resident communities.

Submit ideas by May 28, 2025; details available on the program's apply page.