The New England First Amendment Coalition launched in 2025 a legal fund to provide support for journalism and open government cases.
The fund was established with a new investment from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
“For nearly 20 years, our coalition has been the region’s leading advocate for First Amendment freedoms and open government. We educate New Englanders about the vital roles journalism and government transparency play across the nation,” NEFAC President Gregory V. Sullivan said. “With the help of Knight Foundation, we can now expand our litigation efforts and better serve democracy in the region.”
The need for a regional legal fund is growing. Journalists are encountering more obstacles in their pursuit of essential public-interest reporting. Accessing public records or court documents, protecting confidential sources and obtaining information from public officials are all growing more complex, time-consuming and expensive. In many cases, legal action becomes the only viable option. For local newsrooms and individual journalists, however, the costs are often prohibitive.
The NEFAC Legal Fund can now help.
“Local journalism is essential to helping people understand what’s happening in their communities,” said Marisa Kwiatkowski, director for journalism at Knight Foundation. “When journalists have the legal support they need, they can spend more time reporting on the issues that affect the everyday lives of people where they live. By supporting local journalists, we strengthen trust and accountability at the local level.”
Knight Foundation is supporting the legal fund with a four-year commitment of $250,000 which includes both guaranteed and matching funds.
To help NEFAC raise the matching funds necessary and support much-needed litigation in the region, please donate today.
Need financial assistance for legal help or know of a case NEFAC may want to litigate? Email justin@nefac.org.
(Please note that your communication in no way constitutes an attorney-client relationship and the information you provide will not be privileged. NEFAC will respond only to those inquiries it is considering for legal fund use.)
The fund is used exclusively for journalism and open government litigation within the six New England states. It supports cases in which the coalition is a party or to offset the litigation costs of others who are fighting their own legal battles. The funding is used only when sufficient financial and legal support is not otherwise available.
Other criteria used for case selection includes:
• What is the likelihood that the case will result in positive, impactful or precedent-setting decisions; clarify the law; or otherwise defend the rights of individuals and newsrooms in New England?
• What is the likelihood that the case result will discourage future restrictions on free press and government transparency?
• Will the litigation result in regional impact or otherwise help the general public as opposed to the parties alone?
“Too often, officials skirt the law knowing that most newsrooms lack the resources to respond,” said Justin Silverman, NEFAC’s executive director. “We are changing that by pursuing cases that support journalism, government transparency and the public interest.”