Last month, at CEP’s 2019 Conference in Minneapolis, at a session on podcasting and philanthropy, attendees heard from In The Dark co-creator and senior producer Samara Freemark, who discussed what it takes to find the truth in a story like the Flowers case, beset by shoddy police work and prosecutorial abuse, and deeply shrouded in racism.

It’s complicated, arduous, and expensive, she explained, requiring several members of the team to travel to Mississippi — some living there for longs stretches, slowly and carefully digging out the truth.

More and more, it falls to strong nonprofit news outlets like Pro Publica, The Marshall Project, and American Public Media to tell these critical stories. In large part, they are supported by individuals — viewers and listeners who make small contributions. But, increasingly, they also rely on foundation grants to carry out their vital work.

For funders who might consider support for journalism like this, two critical and related points must be understood: 1) journalism can have a huge impact on civic affairs; and 2) journalists have to approach each story with fairness and independence.

Read the full article about exposing injustice by Vince Stehle at The Center for Effective Philanthropy.