Grist partners with Flatwater Free Press to fund climate reporter

Grist and Flatwater Free Press have teamed up to jointly fund a reporting position focused on climate and the environment in Nebraska. 

The role will be part of Grist’s growing Local News Initiative, which embeds journalists at trusted, local media outlets across the country, bringing high-quality climate media to people who might not otherwise have access to it. Grist currently has local reporters in Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, and North Carolina, and is partnering with the Salt Lake Tribune to hire a reporter in Utah. 

“Like any other corner of the country, Nebraska is increasingly experiencing the effects of climate change,” said Grist CEO Nikhil Swaminathan. “At the same time, there is a dearth of quality reporting helping Nebraskans understand what’s happening around them and why. We consider ourselves fortunate that we can help solve that problem with an outlet committed to deep reporting, well-told stories, and most importantly, the best interests of the people of Nebraska. I’m delighted to turn the friendship I’ve developed with Flatwater Free Press’s leadership — Matt Wynn and Matthew Hansen — over the years into a true partnership.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with Grist, whose track record of smart, deeply reported climate journalism is second to none,” said Matt Wynn, executive director of the Nebraska Journalism Trust. “At Flatwater, we’ve naturally fallen into stories about the myriad ways climate intersects with agriculture, data center development, water, and more — all issues that will shape Nebraska’s future. This partnership allows us to level up with some of the best in the business, and to do it with a newsroom that shares our values. 

“It also represents something bigger: the promise of this new era in journalism. We’re replacing parachute journalism with partnerships rooted in place — and that’s good for our communities, our readers, and the stories that need telling.”

The new hire will cover climate, the environment, and energy in Nebraska, and local stories will be made available to syndicate to a media network throughout the state and region. The reporter will also nationalize some of these stories for Grist, which will be made available to republish to Grist’s national syndication network. 

Applications are now open for this role. The reporter will be a Flatwater employee and can be based anywhere in Nebraska. They will also work extensively with the Grist newsroom to distribute and nationalize their reporting. 

Interested candidates can apply for the role here. Newsrooms interested in joining the upcoming syndication network can email Rachel Glickhouse, Grist’s director of partnerships.