February 17, 2022

Newly released reports show the latest in a series of member collaborations supported by INN gained significant republication and earned an enthusiastic reception from lawmakers, policy advocates and the general public.

Nine INN member newsrooms spent several months reporting on water issues in the Western U.S. to follow up on the Tapped Out project — the first follow-up collaborative series in INN’s history. The resulting reporting was published from November to December 2021.

Reporting on a Native American tribes’ invitation to policy making negotiations regarding the Colorado River generated a considerable amount of republication by outlets including NPR. As a result of the reporting, Colorado Public Radio reported they were able to bring much-needed context and history to the conversation.

This project was made possible by a grant from The Water Desk, with support from INN’s Amplify News Project. Amplify — which provided support for project management and organization, as well as cash stipends for reporting and editing — is funded with support from the Joyce Foundation in the Midwest and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation in Chicago. Read the full impact here.

In a separate project, a new cohort of four Midwestern INN members united to answer the question: How are community colleges — which often serve first-generation students, students of color and low-income students — faring during the pandemic? Their reporting shed light on an under-covered aspect of education and was republished by at least 21 outlets across online, radio, TV and print, including the largest circulation newspaper in Wisconsin.

This project was made possible with support from INN’s Amplify News Project, whose funders include the Joyce Foundation in the Great Lakes region and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation in Chicago. Read the full report here.