Filed
6:00 a.m. EDT
05.07.2025
The need for trusted, fact-based reporting has never been more urgent.
Liz Simons
The Marshall Project, a Pulitzer Prize-winning nonprofit news organization dedicated to covering the U.S. criminal justice system, is thrilled to announce a generous challenge from its board chair, Liz Simons. She has vowed to match up to $1 million in new or increased donations raised before the end of 2025. This commitment comes at an exciting time for The Marshall Project, as it just celebrated its 10th anniversary, has named its first-ever CEO, Katrice Hardy, and recently opened a third local criminal justice newsroom, this time in St. Louis.
“At a time when journalism is under siege and truth-telling more urgent than ever … an informed public is essential for a just and equitable society,” Simons said. “I hope this challenge grant will inspire more people to step up to support The Marshall Project’s mandate to illuminate the problems and complexities of our criminal justice system.”
Simons, chair of the Heising-Simons Foundation and a dedicated advocate for justice reform, has been a leading voice in the philanthropic community by supporting initiatives that promote accountability and transparency within the criminal justice system. Her leadership at The Marshall Project underscores her commitment to high-quality, investigative journalism that drives impact. She has been board chair since 2021.
This $1 million challenge grant is part of Simons’ longer-term investment in The Marshall Project and its legacy of high-quality criminal justice journalism that moves the needle. She hopes her generosity will inspire new and current donors to give more to help deliver journalism that exposes abuse and holds power to account.
As news outlets across the country continue to face economic pressures, the need for trusted, fact-based reporting has never been more urgent. Simons’ contribution will help ensure that communities often overlooked or underserved by traditional media have access to the information they need to navigate systems and our society.
“Liz’s generous contribution is a testament to her unwavering support for independent journalism,” said Katrice Hardy, CEO of The Marshall Project. “This matching gift will empower us to further our mission and reach, ensuring that stories that matter are told and heard.”
The Marshall Project invites individuals and organizations to participate in this matching challenge, amplifying the impact of their donations and supporting the vital role of journalism in democracy.
To participate in the matching challenge, donate to The Marshall Project today. For more information, please contact Chief Development Officer Chavon Carroll at [email protected].
About The Marshall Project
The Marshall Project is a nonpartisan, independent nonprofit news organization that seeks to create and sustain a sense of national urgency about the U.S. criminal justice system. We have an impact on the system through journalism, rendering it more fair, effective, transparent and humane. Since its founding in 2014, The Marshall Project has won numerous media awards, including two Pulitzer Prizes, and has driven wide-reaching impact on the criminal justice system, both nationally and locally.
About Liz Simons
Liz Simons is a philanthropist and education advocate committed to social justice and human rights. She is the chair of the board of the Heising-Simons Foundation, which supports work in human rights, early childhood education and care, science, climate and clean energy, and journalism. A longtime supporter of justice reform and independent journalism, Simons was named chair of The Marshall Project’s board in 2021. She also serves on boards and advisory boards of several other organizations focused on equity and public policy, including Smart Justice California, One for Justice, and the Learning Policy Institute, and she is a President Biden appointee to the Coordinating Council on Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.
