Tracie Powell has always been ahead of the curve. In the early 2010s, when most of the journalism industry was fixated on traffic, platforms and “pivot to video,” Powell launched AllDigitocracy, a digital platform examining the intersection of race, technology and media. At the time, conversations about digital media ownership, the digital divide, algorithmic bias […]
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Introducing Grants for Journalists: How to use this site
When I set out to build Grants for Journalists, a database curating funding opportunities for journalists, I didn’t expect such a tremendous response. Journalists from across the world suddenly wanted to ask me questions or chat about their work. Every one of them had an opinion on how much cash they needed to cover a […]
When it’s time to brag about your work: How to define and measure impact
Originally published for Reynolds Journalism Institute Change. Impact. Accountability. No matter what you call the outcomes from your reporting — in order to identify and benefit from your hard work you’re going to have to measure it. For many nonprofit newsrooms, being able to show the impact of the work is what enables them to […]
The questions every journalist should ask funders (but usually don’t)
Originally published for Reynolds Journalism Institute Over the last several months of my fellowship on journalism grants, I’ve talked (and listened to) lots of funding officers at conferences and summits, on private calls, and before and after grant application cycles. I also spoke with a lot of successful grantees. Like many seeking funding, I wanted […]
Emergency grants to assist journalists in crisis
Originally published on Reynolds Journalism Institute site Journalists are facing challenges on all fronts but the good news is that there are more resources available to help. Philanthropic contributions to news operations are growing to bolster operations, but there’s also assistance to journalists whose work has been halted by industry layoffs, restrictions on press freedoms […]
19 conferences, one spreadsheet and zero pitches: A look at LOOKOUT’s fundraising success
Originally written for Reynolds Journalism Institute Jake Hylton went to 19 conferences this year. “It was a hustle,” he said. But going to as many convenings as possible was part of his personal plan as well as the strategic plan for LOOKOUT Publications, a nonprofit news site covering Arizona’s LGBTQ+ community. After all, the organization is built […]
Want financial backing for your news organization? Collaborate with others
Originally published for Reynolds Journalism Institute Journalism has long been a competitive field, with newspapers and broadcasters racing to be the first, the best, the most trusted and profitable. However, as revenue and readership have declined over the last 25 or so years, more media outlets are teaming up through sharing content, holding audience engagement […]
How I established a viable nonprofit newsroom: ‘It’s been so many small grants’
Originally published on Reynolds Journalism Institute Nina Misuraca Ignaczak is the founder and executive editor of Planet Detroit, which she launched on Substack in 2019 to cover local climate, environment and public health issues. Her digital media start-up has doubled revenue and audience almost every year, landing a $500,000 grant last year from the MacArthur Foundation. We […]
How to find grant money for your next local reporting project
Originally published for Reynolds Journalism Institute Ethan Bakuli says financial grants for reporting have kept him in the journalism business. Bakuli has been a freelance reporter for two years, following experiences reporting full time for Chalkbeat in Detroit and for the Burlington Free Press in Vermont. Since graduating from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in […]