Since its inception, Rest of World has been funded by the generous philanthropic support of founder Sophie Schmidt, who founded the publication in 2019.
Additional support
Ford Foundation
In March 2023, Rest of World received a $200,000 grant from the Ford Foundation to expand its mission of covering the impact of tech by highlighting the experiences of everyday people. The grant, which is made available through the Ford Foundation’s Future of Work(ers) program, funds a one-year reporting fellowship at Rest of World designed to support the publication as it deepens its coverage of tech’s relationship with labor, and report on the influence tech has on both the nature of work and the state of workers. Rest of World is entirely responsible for selecting and hiring the reporting fellows under this fellowship.
Henry Luce Foundation
In November 2023, Rest of World received a $100,000 grant from the Henry Luce Foundation to support our coverage of religion and technology. The grant funds a feature series and an interactive project. You can read more about the grant here.
Luminate
Rest of World received a $200,000 sponsorship from Luminate to support its coverage of global elections and the ways tech platforms and AI are affecting them. You can read more about the grant here.
How to get involved
Charitable Gifts
As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt private operating foundation, Rest of World welcomes grants and charitable gifts from individuals and institutions. Our editorial judgment is made independently and is not influenced by funding organizations or donors.
Your gift can support:
- General support for our newsroom and organization
- More in-depth coverage of an existing beat
- Reporting fellowships aimed at amplifying marginalized voices
- A fixed-term partnership with a regional outlet
- Resources to support investigative journalism
Click here to see our policy on the acceptance of charitable gifts. If you are interested in making a charitable donation to Rest of World, please get in touch by sending us an email at development@restofworld.org.
Sponsorships
In addition to traditional nonprofit philanthropic fundraising, we are also building a partner network of corporate sponsors to further our work and our mission. We believe a healthy newsroom is best supported by a diversity of fundraising sources, and we strive to offer an exceptional experience, bringing our partner community and our global audience into a shared conversation.
If you are interested in partnering with Rest of World, please reach out to us at sponsorship@restofworld.org.