Grant allows AJC more climate coverage

Paper will enhance reporting on threat, its risks to Georgians.

The Atlanta Journal-constitution announced Tuesday it will expand its coverage of climate change in Georgia, thanks to new philanthropic support from a pair of nonprofits.

The Kendeda Fund and 1Earth Fund have committed $50,000 in a one-year grant to increase the AJC’S reporting on climate change and its effects on metro Atlanta residents, businesses and other institutions. The grant will help grow the newspaper’s breaking news and enterprise coverage.

“The Atlanta Journal-constitution is known for our in-depth reporting and our willingness to pursue complex stories where the stakes are high,” AJC Editor Kevin Riley said in a news release. “Climate change is a topic where real, in-depth reporting can make a lasting impact, and we’re thankful we’ve secured partners who also see the clarity credible journalism can bring to this issue.”

Georgia is a state of geographic and environmental diversity, and climate change — from stronger storms, drought, severe summer heat and changing winter weather — figures to bring profound changes to the livability and economies of communities across the state.

The AJC employs one climate and environmental reporter, Drew Kann, who joined the paper in October 2021 from CNN. The funds, arranged by Journalism Funding Partners, will help the AJC hire and assign staff to cover climate change stories the AJC otherwise could not reach.

Journalism Funding Partners, a nonprofit, connects donors with media outlets and helped make the grant from Kendeda and 1Earth possible.

“Journalism is vital to the health of our democracy and the overall health of communities,” Rusty Coats, executive director of Journalism Funding Partners, said in the release. “We believe The Atlanta Journal-constitution has a valuable role to play in helping Georgians understand the threat of climate change and what should be done to mitigate the risks.”

The AJC, like many other newspapers in the U.S., has branched out into community and philanthropic partnerships to support journalism for complex and high-impact topics, because the change to online advertising and readership is challenging the financial success of newspapers and reducing reporting resources. These partnerships bolster subscription and advertising revenue from the newspaper’s operations.

The AJC maintains its editorial independence as part of its partnerships, and its donor sponsors understand and respect the need for the AJC to maintain its journalistic integrity. Stories and other special coverage supported by this grant will be labeled in the interest of transparency.

JOHN SPINK/JOHN.SPINK@AJC.COM Ron Hoffman enjoys a nice Tuesday in Piedmont Park with his dog, Georgia. As the summer months bring higher temperatures, they also bring severe storms and hurricane season, an ever-evolving threat to the state, thanks to climate change.