Impact Stories

The Narwhal, a Canadian-based publication that features solutions stories related to climate and the environment, is opening a new bureau in Ontario with help from a $300,000 grant from the McConnell Foundation. In announcing the grant, the foundation said research suggests that “more nuanced and complex journalistic narratives, which feature and elevate the voices and experiences of those most affected by climate change, can enable richer understanding between relevant actors and help us move towards solutions-oriented actions.”

In 2019, the freelance journalist Peter Yeung reported the solutions story “How One Community Brought Child Mortality Down From 154 To 7 Per 1,000 Live Births,” which featured Muso, a nonprofit health provider in Mali. Two years later, the organization received $15 million in funding from MacKenzie Scott, its largest gift to date. Ari Johnson, the nonprofit’s CEO, credited Yeung, saying: “Your coverage of our research brought global attention to the global child mortality crisis and to how solvable it could be. Thank you for your coverage and the part you play in this celebratory moment.”

The Seattle Times added a fourth reporting project on behavioral and mental health modeled after its very successful Education Lab, Traffic Lab and Project Homeless initiatives, each of which has a small team supported with grants and sponsorships. All include solutions-focused coverage as part of their work. The new project is supported by a grant of nearly $1.1 million from Ballmer Group, a national philanthropic organization.

After it was featured in a solutions story produced by the Northeast Ohio Solutions Journalism Collaborative, an organization hosting COVID-19 vaccination clinics in historically Black churches in Cleveland received a $250,000 grant from a local funder (https://www.clevelandfoundation.org/news_items/may-4-covid-phase2-update/). The head of the initiative attributed the timing of the funding to the story, saying it raised the initiative’s profile. The
story was republished by several local media organizations in the collaborative.

Reporting from The Real News Network (TRNN) that focused on how worker cooperatives can rebuild local communities was picked up by seven other news outlets within a month of publication. Six of these news organizations interviewed Real News Network reporter Jaisal Noor, who discussed his approach, his findings and his 26-minute documentary that examines how worker cooperatives persevered through the pandemic. In less than 60 days, the solutions documentary had over 6,000 views.

Drawing on a model from The Sacramento Bee and other McClatchy newsrooms in California, The Modesto Bee launched an Economic Mobility Lab with support from local and national funders as well as more than 250 individuals. The Lab has three reporters and an editor, and focuses on underserved communities, education and economic development in Stanislaus County, according to editor Brian Clark. Community engagement and solutions-based journalism will be central to the Lab’s success, he said.