The Power of Community

Journalists Supporting Journalists

“I realized what this gathering is. It’s mutual aid for journalists.”

It was the second evening of our fall alumni convening in Montana, and everyone was gathered in small groups on the deck as the sun set behind Flathead Lake. Neel Dhanesha, a four-time alum and climate reporter with Vox, sat down with the IJNR staff and shared his thoughts on the event, the tumultuous state of journalism, and how necessary community is for journalists to thrive.

Though we’ve never directly put it in these terms, we couldn’t agree more with Neel’s assessment – of both the event itself and IJNR’s work in general. We exist to provide training, amplify stories and share knowledge, but just as importantly we exist to bring journalists together and foster camaraderie.

It’s one of the most common themes we hear in our post-program surveys: “Spending time with other journalists was incredibly valuable,” or, “I knew I would learn a lot; I hadn’t realized I would make so many new friends.” For those in this challenging and often lonely profession, IJNR provides an antidote.

Fostering community was a primary focus in 2026, as evidenced by our two main programs this year: The newly launched Community Reporting Project, and the Climate Journalism Forum. Field-based, information-rich learning programs will always be our bread-and-butter, but we also understand that it’s imperative to nurture journalists – and journalism — as well.

This year our programs saw collaborative reporting projects emerge out of newfound friendships, and reporting fellows land internships and jobs at local newsrooms. We heard animated conversations about new media funding models, and brainstorming sessions about how to cover climate solutions with nuance, sensitivity and accuracy. Everywhere we looked we saw journalists listening to each other, learning from each other and lifting each other up.

And we want to make sure that continues.

In the coming year, we’ll expand our Community Reporting Fellowship, offer another round of field reporting grants, and get back in the field. We have plans in North Carolina and the Great Lakes Basin and other locations around the country (stay tuned!). Through it all, we know our journalists will continue showing up – for our programs, for their communities – and for each other.

We hope you’ll consider pitching in to support our “mutual aid” mission and the ever-expanding IJNR family.