Vermont Public & VTDigger to share Report For America journalist focused on housing, infrastructure

Vermont Public and VTDigger have been chosen by Report for America to host a journalist subsequent yr to increase the organizations’ protection of housing and infrastructure.

In an unprecedented collaboration between two of Vermont’s main information retailers, the brand new reporter will cowl two of essentially the most vexing challenges dealing with Vermont: the provision, affordability and situation of housing, in addition to ageing infrastructure that’s now not serving its residents.

“Practically each a part of our state is grappling with a housing disaster,” stated Mark Davis, managing editor of reports for Vermont Public. “This reporter will assist our viewers perceive the causes of those issues — in addition to potential options to them. Every story will likely be grounded within the expertise of Vermonters who depend on these providers, and are struggling to construct lives in our state.”

Report for America is a nationwide service program that locations gifted rising journalists in native newsrooms to report on under-covered matters and communities throughout the US and its territories. It’s an initiative of The GroundTruth Undertaking, a nonprofit journalism group devoted to rebuilding journalism from the bottom up.

“As information organizations all through the nation are reducing again on native and regional reporting, VTDigger and Vermont Public are investing in masking a number of the biggest challenges dealing with our state,” stated Paul Heintz, editor-in-chief of VTDigger. “We’re excited to workforce up with two fellow nonprofit organizations that share our values and our dedication to top-notch journalism.”

The reporter will begin their two-year appointment in July 2023. Report for America will cowl half the wage of the journalist who is chosen, with Vermont Public and VTDigger funding the remaining. Each organizations plan to share the prices and oversight of the place, and the reporter’s work will likely be printed by each retailers.

Each Vermont information organizations have collaborated with Report for America previously. The nationwide nonprofit has helped VTDigger put money into protection of Bennington, Rutland, Franklin and Grand Isle counties, and it has helped Vermont Public supply protection of the Higher Valley and to launch the each day information podcast The Frequency.

“Far too many Individuals desperately want dependable, fact-based info to make selections about their each day lives, and a rising variety of native newsrooms are turning to us for assist,” stated Kim Kleman, senior vice chairman of Report for America. “We have been blown away by the breadth of purposes we obtained, and solely want we had the flexibility to deliver on much more newsrooms this yr.”