Colorado’s water future is at risk now more than ever. Facing a growing population, warmer climate, longer growing season, decreased snowpack, and earlier runoff, the state’s water supplies are increasingly taxed to serve competing interests. Hundreds of thousands of residents are new to Colorado and unaware of the fundamental challenges faced by their new home state. Even for Coloradans who consider themselves “natives,” many grew up in urban areas with little or no awareness of where their water comes from, how it is managed, or the risks to and opportunities for ensuring a sustainable future.
Strong water journalism is vital for developing more knowledgeable and engaged Coloradans. Yet as the number of professional journalists has been cut nearly in half over the past 15 years, there are fewer and fewer Colorado reporters dedicated to covering this important issue. Today many journalists covering water for local news outlets are generalists, and may not feel confident covering the often complex topics of water management, water rights, water policy, drought, climate change, forest health, demand management, agricultural water innovations and more.
That’s why Colorado Media Project is proud to present this
2021 Water Journalism Fellowship for working Colorado journalists.
The five-month fellowship features a series of four “Water Fluency for Journalists” workshops presented by Fresh Water News (an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit news service) in addition to coaching support for individual and collaborative reporting projects from the Colorado News Collaborative. The fellowship experience and $1,000 journalist stipends are made possible with support from the Denver-based Gates Family Foundation, through its Natural Resources program.
Up to 10 fellows will be selected, and we encourage applicants from across Colorado, working in all mediums (print, digital, broadcast, radio, photo, data analysis and visualization). You do not need to have prior experience covering water issues, but it should be a goal of yours to do more water coverage in the future.
The goals of the fellowship are:
To build individual journalist capacity and a cohort/network to support water reporting at newsrooms across the state.
To increase the amount and reach of solutions-focused journalism about timely water issues facing Coloradans, including drought, climate change, forest health, demand management, agricultural water innovations, and more.
Eligible applicants must:
Be a journalist working for a Colorado news outlet that is regularly producing original, locally focused, nonpartisan journalism, OR
Be a freelance journalist or mediamaker with a letter of support from a Colorado news outlet or distribution partner that states your work will be distributed via that outlet or partner.
Have a passion and curiosity for water issues facing our state, and a dedication to reaching Colorado audiences with important stories that help them understand the world around them.
APPLICANTS RECEIVE
Four virtual “Water Fluency for Journalists” workshops (2 hours each) organized and convened by COLab, with content delivered by Fresh Water News and Water Education Colorado, the leading nonprofit organization for informing and engaging Coloradans on water issues.
Fact sheets, source lists, and “tips and tricks” for reporting on water in Colorado and the West. Fellows will gain access to expert guest speakers, as well as “do’s and don’ts” and best practices for reporting on various water topics.
Personalized coaching and support for covering water stories in their publication. Each fellow will have access to one-on-one coaching from expert water journalists Jerd Smith (Fresh Water News) and Susan Greene (COLab), who can help with story ideation, source generation, story editing, and more.
Facilitated networking, peer learning, and support to develop a collaborative capstone project focused on water. Each fellow will contribute uniquely to a collaborative reporting project and will see their work, and that of the group, published in their local newsroom and by other COLab partner outlets, The Water Desk, and Water Education Colorado and Fresh Water News channels, increasing exposure and reach.
Access to a shared pot of funds for water reporting, which the fellows will manage to support their graphic design, photography, videography, or multimedia needs related to the collaborative reporting project.
A $1,000 fellowship stipend from Gates Family Foundation through CMP, to recognize the fellow’s dedication to participation in the cohort. The stipend will be released to the fellow’s employer at the start of the fellowship, and may be provided as additional compensation to the fellow or utilized by the sponsoring news outlet to cover costs related to the fellowship.
Fellowship commitments
Fellows agree to:
Attend four cohort “Water Fluency for Journalists” workshops, scheduled for 2 to 4 p.m. on Thursdays: July 29, August 12, August 26, and September 23. The five-month fellowship experience runs from July 15 through December 15, 2021.
Produce at least one article or piece of multimedia content on water issues for your publication during the course of the fellowship. These can be on topics of your choice, and driven by the specific water-related issues facing your community.
Contribute at least one article or piece of multimedia content to the collaborative project produced by the cohort.
Partner with Fresh Water News, the Colorado News Collaborative and Colorado Media Project by sharing stories produced with fellows and COLab partners via AP StoryShare, and sharing lessons learned through a fellowship impact assessment.
Q&A
Q: If a project is already in existence can we use this opportunity as a way to support that project?
A: The intent is to support you as journalists and to support what is important at your outlet.
Q: How many fellows will there be?
A: We have funding for up to 10 fellows.
Q: I’m not a journalist but I am creating content while working with a water nonprofit. Does that qualify to publish my work?
A: You will need to find a news organization or outlet willing to produce your work.
Q: Is there an issue with fellows’ articles being behind a paywall?
A: The work would need to be shared on AP Storyshare, and then COLab media partners would be able to download and utilize those stories.
Q: If you have a sponsoring newspaper, are you limited to only working with them? For example, could I do a print story and perhaps something for a local radio station?
A: No, but two letters of support would be needed in order to be covered by the media liability insurance.
Q: If we are a freelance media group, does the stipend go to us or to our distribution partner?
A: It needs to go to a business, not an individual. Rose cannot grant to individuals. As long as an entity is in place, more information may be needed logistically.
Q: What is the purpose of the shared funds?
A: The purpose is to go toward the work being produced and for the discretion, but the shared funds are up to the discretion of the cohort.
Q: Is media insurance required to apply?
A: The organization that accepts the funds should have media insurance, or the fellow themselves could hold it.
KEY DATES
Information session: Thursday, June 10 from Noon to 12:45 p.m. MT. Register here to attend the webinar, which will be recorded and posted, along with an FAQ document, for future viewing.
Proposal deadline: Wednesday, June 23, 2021 by 5 p.m. MT
Applicant notification (via email): By Friday, July 2, 2021
Fellowship period: July 29, 2021 through December 15, 2021
Grant payment: Week of July 19, pending signed contract
Final report due: January 15, 2022
For additional questions related to this grant opportunity, contact Lauren Archuletta.