When it came to telling funny stories, my Dad, Neal Peirce, always envied friends and colleagues who could really hold the room and make people double over in laughter. “I just wish I could do that!” he would say. In truth he was pretty good at it, and his enthusiasm took him a long way.
What he did know was his power with the written word — and how to find and tell solutions-oriented stories that made a difference in people’s lives.
I know he would be thrilled to see his name and legacy carried on through the solutions journalism you have helped to make happen.
In the last six months alone:
- David Erickson went to Portland, Ore., to learn what lessons that city’s extensive housing programs can offer Missoula, Mont. His reporting formed the basis of an impactful 6-part series in the Missoulian called “Nowhere to Go.” Check out the whole series here.
- Julia Hotz traveled to Cincinnati to see how a medical program that prescribes legal counsel is paying off for patients. Her story ran in the Boston Globe. See what she found out here.
- Colin Kinniburgh of New York Focus reported on how Rochester, N.Y., is studying the idea of taking over its local electric utility — and stopped in the town of Massena to find out how that city’s decision to municipalize worked for residents. Read the stories here.
More stories from our last round of grantees will be coming out soon. Please follow us on Twitter / X and LinkedIn to find out when they publish — and visit this page on our website to see links to all the stories we’ve supported so far.
With one of our up-to $1,500 grants, journalists can do something not many media organizations are resourced to do nowadays: travel to another city to report on promising policies, programs and ideas that could help solve problems back home and make cities everywhere work better for all their people.
If you have an idea for a great story that can make an impact — or know a journalist who might — consider applying here for a grant until October 16. And as always, please consider making a donation to make more stories happen!
You are part of the work of boosting local journalism and spreading ideas for better cities! We are so grateful.
Best regards,
Andrea Peirce
President, The Neal Peirce Foundation