St. Louis Magazine has secured a three-year, $900,000 grant from the James S. McDonnell Foundation to launch an Economic Mobility Lab, a newsroom initiative focused on one of the region’s most pressing challenges.
The lab will formally launch this winter and fund two full-time reporters, alongside multimedia offerings and expanded contributions from freelance writers and photographers.
The move is part of the media company’s larger transformation strategy. During the past three years, it has leaned into an email-first, niche-driven approach. Today, in addition to its flagship print edition, SLM publishes 18 niche newsletters that reach more than 200,000 subscribers, produces a portfolio of podcasts and runs a growing slate of events.
As it has grown, the company has also positioned itself as a civic institution, investing in civic and business coverage by adding three journalists focused on daily news and business reporting during the past 18 months. Now, with the launch of the Economic Mobility Lab, it aims to take the next step in providing in-depth coverage for the community.
“This investment allows us to deepen our journalism on one of the most pressing challenges facing our region: economic mobility,” said SLM owner Matt Coen in a statement. “I’m proud of our tradition of award-winning reporting and that today our newsroom is the largest in our history. Thanks to JSMF’s generous support, we can now accelerate that impact at a defining moment for St. Louis.”
