Peter Jarvis, center, makes a point while discussing politics with other Morristown residents. Kevin Coughlin the Editor for MorristownGreen.com hosted a Potluck luncheon at the home of Rebecca Feldman in Morristown, where a small number of local residents joined in a political discussion surrounding the upcoming gubernatorial election in November. Photo by Thomas E. Franklin
Collaborative journalism is having a moment right now, but it’s more than just a buzzword. As budgets and staff sizes continue to shrink in local newsrooms, collaboration has become one crucial way to expand coverage and reach.
Last year, in partnership with the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University and New America Media, we launched Voting Block NJ, a collaborative initiative that brought together 25 newsrooms that serve New Jersey to cover the state’s gubernatorial election. Our effort resulted in more than 70 stories and over two dozen community events, called Political Potlucks, that invited the public into the conversation and reporting process.
If you’re interested in doing something like this, the report provides insight into how the project was organized, its effect on newsrooms and audiences, and key lessons and recommendations.
We’re hoping to take the lessons from our work in New Jersey to other communities with Reveal Local Labs, our new initiative aimed at supporting local investigative reporting and fostering collaboration. As we move into this next phase of our work, here are three key takeaways from Voting Block NJ:
RELATIONSHIPS MATTER.
Voting Block partners said they joined the collaborative due to a pre-existing relationship with the coordinating partners. When launching a collaborative project, start with organizations you know and keep building from there.
ESTABLISH REGULAR LINES OF COMMUNICATION AMONG PARTNERS.
Voting Block partners stayed in touch via email, Slack and weekly conference calls. Partners said they found the conference calls the most effective mode of communication. Future projects should consider organizing an “all-team” weekly or monthly check-in to ensure that all partners are on the same page and have ample opportunity to build relationships.
SET COMMON IMPACT GOALS AND EVALUATION METRICS.
Identify key goals for your collaborative project, such as expanding the size and engagement of your audience, and agree to share certain data in order to evaluate your project. For example, partnership agreements can include sharing audience reach indicators (unique page views, downloads, broadcast numbers, etc.).
Last month, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation brought together more than 100 people representing 44 organizations for its first-ever partner and grantee convening. This event was a full day designed around the belief that we can achieve greater impact together, in true partnership, than working in silos towards our goals.
The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation is pleased to announce the election of Dan Fatton as our new Board Chair and Anisa Kamadoli Costa as Board Vice Chair. Dan and Anisa have served as Dodge Foundation trustees for 7 years, and both bring deep commitment to the Foundation's mission of building a just and equitable New Jersey.
The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation has approved more than $11 million in new grant and investment commitments — $6.08 million in Housing Choice and $5.05 million in Economic Mobility — as part of our commitment to closing the racial wealth gap in New Jersey. The grants reflect a deliberate, evidence-driven strategy to move families from economic exclusion toward financial security and autonomy.
