How Government Responds - A Solutions Journalism Innovation Fund

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Introduction:

Journalism’s longstanding focus on scandal and dysfunction has played a role in eroding public trust—and turning audiences away. While most Americans still believe a free press is essential to democracy, 42% say they avoid the news because it leaves them feeling powerless, overwhelmed, or exhausted. This growing news avoidance, coupled with the rise of disinformation and declining faith in public institutions, represents a serious threat to democratic life.

We believe journalism can be part of the solution.

This round of the Advancing Democracy Innovation Fund, led by the Solutions Journalism Network, will support reporting projects that highlight how government and civic institutions are responding to pressing challenges. The focus is on rigorous, evidence-based solutions journalism that reveals where public systems are making progress, where they are falling short, and why it matters.

This opportunity is open to U.S.-based newsrooms with prior experience producing solutions journalism.

This fund builds on lessons from SJN’s 2024–25 Building Democracy Fellowship, where participating newsrooms produced rigorous reporting on how government was delivering on issues like housing, broadband access, environmental sustainability, and civic participation. These stories reached new audiences, improved trust with communities, and in some cases, helped shape public policy. (Find examples here)

Now, we’re offering targeted funding, coaching, and peer support to help more newsrooms apply a solutions lens to their coverage of government and civic life.

Applications will be open Nov. 15 and will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning on Dec 8, 2025.

This innovation fund is part of the Advancing Democracy initiative, a partnership with Hearken and Trusting News.

Program goals:

Support innovative reporting projects on how government is responding to public needs, and how communities are working to strengthen democratic systems.
Help newsrooms build a sustainable solutions journalism practice that drives audience engagement, informs policy conversations, and strengthens public trust.
Share learnings across the field through public webinars, resources, or presentations?

What does this fund support?

Selected newsrooms will receive up to $4,000 to support the production of a reporting series or project that investigates how civic institutions are responding to the most pressing challenges facing their communities—where progress is being made, where gaps remain, and what lessons can be drawn from elsewhere. Each project will include a community or audience engagement component and culminate in a public shareout of impacts, such as a webinar, in-person gathering.

Funding may be used for:

Staff time or freelance support to produce solutions journalism stories
Travel to report on promising responses or solutions in other communities
Investments in community engagement and deep listening
Organizing community events tied to reporting or public dialogue
Testing new formats or audience-facing products
Producing multimedia packages, visual explainers or zine
Collaborations with civic information providers, community influencers, or other nontraditional partners

Projects must clearly apply a solutions journalism lens, and include an engagement component.

Selected newsrooms will receive 50% of funding up front, with the remaining 50% delivered upon project completion.
All grantees will be asked to share lessons with their audience through an in-person event, webinar, or written resource, and give a brief presentation to the Democracy Peer Network.
Each newsroom will be required to meet with a coach once during the grant period. Additional coaching may be available upon request.
We encourage you to set internal deadlines that work best for your team, but all projects must be completed by May 30, 2026.

Who is eligible?

This round of innovation funds will be open to any US-based newsroom that has demonstrated an ability to produce solutions journalism.

Key details:

Applications are now open and, starting on Dec. 1, will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Contact Information

Primary Contact: First Name

Primary Contact: Last Name

Primary Contact: Email

Primary Contact: Mobile

Organization Name

Your position in organization

Country of Organization

United StatesOther

Country of Organization

Billing State of Organization

Billing City of Organization

How did you hear about this opportunity? (e.g., through Facebook, Twitter, a blog or email from one of the program partners, which include Solutions Journalism Network, Hearken, Trusting News and Good Conflict. Or from an individual. Please be as specific as possible.)

Your Newsroom

Provide an example of a solutions journalism story that you or your newsroom has produced.

What is your idea for a solutions journalism project focused on government?

Briefly describe your project or series and how it will explore where government or public institutions are responding to community needs—what’s working, where challenges remain, and what others can learn. Projects may include reporting series, events, multimedia stories, or editorial products. Be specific and bold: What makes your idea innovative? How will it reimagine how your newsroom covers governance, public systems, or civic participation? Proposals should center solutions journalism.
(250 words max)

How does your project align with the four pillars of solutions journalism? Describe how your idea will incorporate each of the four pillars (200 words max):

-Focus on a government response to a social problem

-Provide evidence of the response’s effectiveness or limitations

-Offer insights that can help others understand how the response works

-Include limitations or challenges of the response

What would success look like for this project? Describe the impact you hope to have. What specific audiences do you aim to reach, narratives you hope to shift, or relationships you want to strengthen?

(100 words max)

This grant includes an audience engagement component (webinar, in-person event, etc). How might you share key lessons from your reporting with your audience? (100 words max)

Who will be involved, and how will their roles contribute to success? What are the biggest hurdles you foresee—such as capacity, leadership support, or competing newsroom priorities? (150 words max)

Is there anything else you’d like the reviewing team to know—or any additional support that would help make this project successful? This could include mentorship, technical assistance, coaching, or access to a peer community. (Optional – 200 words max)

NOTE: After you click the "submit" button you will have to confirm your submission on the next page.

The Solutions Journalism Network is a 501(c)3 organization. Our policy on our grant funds is that they may only be used for the direct costs of the approved project. No portion of the grant funds be used for overhead costs.

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