Covering Equitable Community Development Journalism Fellowship
As the 2024 elections draw near, many voters are making decisions in a markedly changed America still reeling from the impact of COVID. Research suggests that it’s no coincidence communities of color were hardest hit by COVID, and local journalists have worked overtime to amplify the stories that have emerged from the rubble. Despite the fervor around national politics, it’s local changes that affect people most. Good journalists are needed to report on equitable community development – the policies and programs that determine how investments are made in communities.
NPF will gather experts from the health equity, nonprofit and policy sectors, financing and community organizing spaces to help journalists add context and breadth to their coverage of community development issues. Topics to be explored may include:
- How financing and investing institutions such as community development financial institutions (CDFIs), philanthropic impact investors, private banks, and other investors prioritize investments in community-driven projects or investment funds;
- How policymakers and public officials can actively include residents in decision-making about how communities are financed and developed and hold the community development sector accountable for anti-racist practices;
- What conditions lead to healthier, more equitable communities with access to affordable housing, education, nutritious food, health care, etc.
- Environmental justice as a community development issue.
The purpose of the four-day expenses-paid program is to equip journalists to better investigate pervasive racial gaps and the policies and investments in their own backyards related to health, wealth and overall community wellbeing. Home to active Indigenous organizations and health initiatives focused on small and mid-sized cities, Missoula will allow for an immersive exploration into community development issues, especially for journalists who cover race and metro beats.