“Climate science is already part of nearly every local beat. Breaking news, housing, health, energy, food, sports, culture, and public policy stories increasingly intersect with today’s climate and environmental challenges. Yet many local newsrooms are being asked to cover these complex issues with smaller staffs, fewer resources, and little or no dedicated climate expertise.

“Metcalf’s Climate Ready Newsrooms fellowship is designed to bolster newsrooms working under those constraints.

“Your newsroom does not need an environment beat or a climate reporter to apply. Some past participants entered the fellowship with extensive experience. Others had rarely covered climate or environmental issues intentionally. Metcalf Institute partners with each newsroom to identify and support a realistic goal that builds capacity, confidence, or expertise on climate and environmental science within the organization.

“Who: Ten New England newsrooms will be selected. Rather than training one journalist and expecting that person to transform the newsroom alone or be the only reporter covering these issues, Climate Ready Newsrooms brings editors, managers, and reporters together to build shared scientific knowledge, editorial priorities, source networks, and newsroom practices that support accurate, accountable, and consistent climate coverage over the long term.

“Fellowship Benefits: Each newsroom will participate in interactive trainings led by University of Rhode Island faculty and regional experts, receive a $1,000 stipend to support those in training, engage in individualized coaching from Metcalf’s journalism experts to devise achievable goals (including one in-person visit to your newsroom), and benefit from peer learning and collaboration during and beyond the fellowship.

“Key Dates: Six workshops will take place Thursdays from 12pm-1:30pm, October 15-November 19, 2026, with an initial coaching session in early October. Three additional coaching sessions will be scheduled in January, February, and March, 2027.”