
RJI COVID-19 resources
The tips, tools and advice about journalism and COVID-19 have been plentiful. And that’s a great thing. But because they’re flying around the internet in emails, newsletters and blog posts, it can sometimes be hard to find what you’re looking for. RJI can help and mostly because we can turn to Dorothy Carner and Sandy Schiefer, journalism librarians, who can curate and update our resource list for handling a pandemic.
Tips and Tools for Journalists | Grants and Funding
Freelance Advice and Help | Managing through COVID-19
Journalism Advocates and Association Available Resources
Engaging with the Community | Funders for COVID-19 Relief
RJI COVID-19 Webinars
Google News Initiative - Reporting in a crisis: Tools and resources for journalists
April 9, 2020Google News Initiative provides tools for journalists covering the COVID-19, including fact-check explorer, coronavirus search trends, Flourish- data visualization and online training to use the tools.
Knight Science Journalism MIT- Tips and Tools for Reporting on Covid-19
April 9, 2020KSJ provides and aggregated list of reporting tips and tools to help reporters find and use accurate information to report on the coronavirus.
Global Investigative Journalist Network
April 9, 2020GIJN provides reporters and news organizations tips and resources, in 12 languages, for covering the corona virus and minimizing impact on media businesses.
Dallas Morning News widget to help communities connect with each other
April 9, 2020The widget is three lines of code for inserting on a web site that’s made available by “Be A Neighbor” site.
Journalist’ Toolbox
April 9, 2020Journalist’ Toolbox by Mike Reilly provides a collection of the latest COVID-19 related resources.
Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Covid Webinars
April 9, 2020Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Covid Webinars provides access to training webinars: covering COVID-19, reporting from home, fact-checking coronavirus misinformation for all journalists.
RTDNA Coronavirus Reporting Resources
April 9, 2020RTDNA Coronavirus Reporting Resources provides tools for reporters and tips for their interviewees for broadcasting from home.
Open States
April 13, 2020Open States strives to improve civic engagement at the state level by providing data and tools regarding state legislatures. They compile current data on legislation relating to the ongoing COVID-19 situation.
Coronavirus: Resources for reporters
April 13, 2020Topics include news gathering and verification tools, ethics and responsible reporting guidance, a database of debunks of mis- and disinformation, data and information sources, a searchable reading list, FAQs that journalists may have, and links to sign up for video calls on reporting coronavirus. First Draft provides accurate information and data to assist journalists.
Coronavirus Topical Guide (The Associated Press)
April 13, 2020AP has created a guide to the usage of coronavirus terms and definitions based on the AP Stylebook and common usage in AP stories.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) Data Resource Hub | data.world
April 13, 2020Create a free account to gain access to a rich bank of open data and a powerful platform for analytics and insights. The data.world community offers up-to-date and trusted open data related to COVID-19.
Resources to help journalists cover the coronavirus pandemic
April 13, 2020The Lenfest Institute's collection of resources to help journalists respond to the challenge of reporting on the coronavirus.
The Journalist’s Resource: The Coronavirus Pandemic
April 13, 2020Based at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, Journalist’s Resource examines news topics, including the coronavirus, through a research lens, curating and summarizing public policy research relevant to media practitioners, bloggers, educators, students and general readers. Their hope is that journalists, in the course of reporting, will routinely ask this question: What does the research say?
Covid-19 Tracking Program
April 14, 2020Up-to-date data by state. The dataset is available as a spreadsheet or via API (JSON and CSV).
Tipsheet from the Finding COVID-19 data and responsible context webinar (Google Doc)
April 14, 2020Tipsheet provided by journalists participating in the March 3, 2020 RJI webinar: Caroline Chen, ProPublica; Armand Emamdjomeh, The Washington Post; Jennifer LaFleur, American University/The Investigative Reporting Workshop; Cheryl Phillips, Big Local News at Stanford University
Reuters Factsheet: Types, sources, and claims of COVID-19 misinformation
April 14, 2020In this factsheet, Reuters identifies some of the main types, sources, and claims of COVID-19 misinformation seen so far. We analyse a sample of 225 pieces of misinformation rated false or misleading by fact-checkers and published in English between January and the end of March 2020.
AP Stylebook Coronavirus Topical Guide
April 16, 2020To help with coverage of the new coronavirus disease, called COVID-19, The Associated Press has prepared a guide based on the AP Stylebook and common usage in AP stories. For more details, follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
12 writing tools to make COVID-19 coverage comprehensible. One stands above the rest.
April 20, 2020Advice on reporting on the COVID-19 virus and working to be understood, not just presenting facts.
Here are 20 coronavirus-related story ideas to help you expand your coverage
May 1, 2020Poynter senior faculty Al Tompkins shares a slate of story ideas and context about the coronavirus. In the video, he highlights 20 recent (and a few new) story ideas, adds some fresh context and outlines which types of stories, in general, most resonate with audiences.
Journalists know trauma, but COVID-19 might expose them to something new: anticipatory trauma
May 7, 2020Covering tragedy is in every reporter’s job description, starting even on our first days on the job. Tragedy happens, and then journalists cover the fallout. But when covering COVID-19, the traumatic event is not just protracted — it gets worse with time. Reporters covering the coronavirus wrote about the hypothetical and watched it come to fruition. They saw death tolls increase in daily reports, then in their communities. We talked with two journalists who now work in the mental health arena — one conducting research on mental health in journalism, the other coordinating a fellowship program for reporters covering mental health — on how to identify what they’re experiencing and how to manage it.
Reporting on colleges’ finances amid COVID-19: 6 tips from Moody’s Investors Service
May 7, 2020Journalists get tips on covering college finances amid the coronavirus pandemic and U.S. economic downturn from experts at credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service.
Covering covid-19 with a solutions lens: six insights from The Guardian
May 18, 2020Use these tried-and-tested tips to add solutions journalism to your coronavirus coverage
Covering COVID-19: a daily Poynter briefing
August 21, 2020Covering COVID-19 is a daily Poynter briefing of story ideas about the coronavirus and other timely topics for journalists, written by senior faculty Al Tompkins. Sign up here to have it delivered to your inbox every weekday morning.
Digital contact tracing and the coronavirus pandemic: 5 studies to know
August 21, 2020Until there’s a vaccine for the new coronavirus, infectious disease professionals point to digital contact tracing as a key way for authorities to safely lift lockdowns and begin cauterizing the economic, mental health and other personal trauma the pandemic is inflicting on millions of people worldwide.
Tracking coronavirus policies by state
August 21, 2020Q and A with health policy expert Julia Raifman, who documented roughly 100 types of policies across every state and the District of Columbia, along with original sources for each policy.
Covering rural health care amid COVID-19: 4 tips from Carrie Henning-Smith
August 21, 2020As COVID-19 cases continue to emerge in rural areas of the U.S., rural health care systems will need to respond to the crisis with fewer resources than urban-based hospitals, and for a population that is generally older and sicker than urban populations. Journalists will need to tell their stories.
Covering Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic: 6 things journalists should know
August 21, 2020Medicaid is a United States health insurance program run and funded by states with federal oversight and financial contributions. The total annual federal contributions vary by state, reflecting the differing levels of poverty and states’ decisions about whether to participate in the Medicaid expansion created by the Affordable Care Act of 2010.
Six tips for reporting on how COVID-19 school closures affect student learning
August 21, 2020Insights from F. Chris Curran, who co-directs the Education Policy Research Center at the University of Florida and conducts research on improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged youth. Curran also serves on the editorial board of the Educational Researcher academic journal.
Epidemiological models: 10 things journalists covering coronavirus research should know
August 21, 2020Experts told us if journalists do these 10 things they will improve their coverage of new coronavirus research based on epidemiological models.
Reporting on colleges’ finances amid COVID-19: 6 tips from Moody’s Investors Service
August 21, 2020Journalists get tips on covering college finances amid the coronavirus pandemic and U.S. economic downturn from experts at credit rating agency Moody's Investors Service.
How COVID-19 is threatening press freedom: An interview with Joel Simon
August 21, 2020The executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists warns that a press crackdown during the coronavirus pandemic could lead to long-term curbs on the global information system.
Coronavirus vaccines: We address 3 big questions about safety, distribution and adoption
August 26, 2020Journalist's Resource has answers to your questions about covering the coronavirus vaccine.
National Geographic Emergency Fund for Journalists
April 9, 2020The National Geographic Society is launching an emergency fund for journalists who wish to cover COVID-19 within their own communities with particular emphasis on delivering news to underserved populations.
Microloans for Journalists by Journalists
April 9, 2020If you’re a professional journalist who has been laid off or furloughed by your news outlet and urgently need assistance, you can apply to receive an interest-free $500 loan, to be repaid in one year. The money will come solely from fellow journalists. The money is a loan, not a donation.
Journalist Furlough Fund
April 9, 2020“We are a group of journalists who created a furlough fund for the many, many other journalists who have been temporarily laid off or had their hours reduced across the U.S. amid the COVID-19 pandemic.” Please donate!
Facebook Journalism Project
April 9, 2020Facebook Journalism Project is providing $100 million investment to support the news industry — $25 million in emergency grant funding for local news through the, and $75 million in additional marketing spend to move money over to news organizations around the world.
Inside Philanthropy
April 9, 2020IP’s list of funders that support journalism.
NPPA COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund
April 9, 2020NPPA and NPPF are seeking donations to create a relief fund for NPPA photojournalists who have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
PEN America - Writer’s Emergency Fund (2020)
April 13, 2020The PEN America Writers’ Emergency Fund assists, in times of emergency, those whose main professional pursuit is writing. Please review the eligibility criteria before applying.
Pulitzer Center Coronavirus News Collaboration Challenge
April 13, 2020The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, a non-profit organization that supports independent global journalism, is seeking proposals that develop innovative approaches to reporting on the novel coronavirus crisis using collaboration among journalists and newsrooms across state lines or national borders. This opportunity is open to all newsrooms and independent journalists in the United States and abroad.
Photographer Fund from Format
April 14, 2020Providing support for independent or freelance photographers affected by coronavirus. Offers assistance of up to $500 per person to self-employed photographers who are facing financial hardship because of the coronavirus.
The Google News Initiative Journalism Emergency Relief Fund
April 16, 2020The Google News Initiative wants to help journalists impacted by COVID-19 by launching a Journalism Emergency Relief Fund to deliver urgent aid to thousands of small, medium and local news publishers globally.
International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) Journalism Relief Fund
April 20, 2020The IWMF's Journalism Relief Fund is open to women-identifying journalists in dire straits - journalists who have faced significant financial hardship, lost work, were recently laid off or who urgently need assistance to avoid severe, irreversible outcomes. This fund will provide small grants of up to $2,000 USD per request. However, special consideration will be given on a case-by-case basis to those who have greater financial need.
NPPA COVID-19 Resource Guide
April 9, 2020NPPA COVID-19 Resource Guide provides resources for photojournalists, including funding, training and creativity while dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
NPPA Freelancer COVOD-19 Town Hall
April 9, 2020A virtual town hall for freelancers streamed live on YouTube on April 7, 2020.
Folio Magazine Freelance Journalist Resources
April 9, 2020Folio Magazine Freelance Journalist Resources provides resources for freelance journalists impacted by COVID-19.
Freelancers Union - Freelancers Relief Fund
April 13, 2020Freelancers Relief Fund will offer financial assistance of up to $1,000 per freelance household to cover lost income and essential expenses not covered by government relief programs, including food/food supplies, utility payments, cash assistance to cover income loss.
Freelance Journalist Fund from the Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ)
April 13, 2020FIJ’s board of directors is looking for stories on the coronavirus that break new ground and expose wrongdoing—such as corruption, malfeasance, or abuse of power—in the public and private sectors. FIJ encourages proposals written for ethnic media as well as those submitted by journalists of color and involving the impact of the coronavirus in U.S. ethnic communities. Grants average $5,000 but can be as high as $10,000. They cover out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, document collection, and equipment rental. FIJ also considers requests for small stipends.
Rory Peck Trust COVID-19 Hardship Fund for Journalists
April 13, 2020If you are a professional freelance journalist whose only source of income is from journalism and you have been significantly affected by the pandemic, you may be eligible for a grant from our COVID-19 Hardship Fund.
Photographer Fund from Format
April 14, 2020Providing support for independent or freelance photographers affected by coronavirus. Offers assistance of up to $500 per person to self-employed photographers who are facing financial hardship because of the coronavirus.
The Everyday Project’s COVID-19 Guide for Visual Journalists
April 20, 2020These general tips for visual journalists were created by Jenell Stewart, DO, MPH, Infectious Diseases physician-scientist at University of Washington. Dr. Stewart is married to Peter DiCampo, a visual journalist and cofounder of The Everyday Projects, and she created this guide to help journalists who are struggling with ethical and safety considerations in the current void of job specific information.
Working as a freelance journalist right now is hard but not impossible. Here’s some advice.
May 1, 2020Meena Thiruvengadam writes: "As a freelancer during the pandemic, I’ve felt more empowered and secure than I expected. But I’ve had to pivot."
Harvard Business Review: How to manage coronavirus layoffs with compassion
April 9, 2020How to manage coronavirus layoffs with compassion by Rebecca Knight, a freelance journalist in Boston and a lecturer at Wesleyan University. Her work has been published in The New York Times, USA Today, and The Financial Times.
Institute for Non-Profit News: Tips for managing coronavirus reporting risks
April 9, 2020Tips for managing coronavirus reporting risks by Howard Goldberg who is a project editor in California. He previously was a news manager for Associated Press in New York, Los Angeles and Columbus, Ohio.
LION Publishers (Local Independent Online News)
April 10, 2020is an association for local news startups, supports more than 200 independent local news businesses across the country. When coronavirus hit, we knew we needed to offer practical, step-by-step guidance on what our members should do to manage their businesses.
COVID-19: Leading Through Disruption (Gallup)
April 13, 2020Gallup has long studied how people and workplaces behave during times of crisis. Explore our analytics and advice to learn how to respond swiftly and effectively to COVID-19 disruptions. From best practices on managing remote workers to discoveries on what the world is thinking -- our insights and advice will help you navigate this evolving disruption.
Resources to Lead Effectively Amid COVID-19 from Harvard Business Publishing
April 13, 2020As the impact of COVID-19 intensifies globally, Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning developed information and resources for L&D and business leaders to help manage their teams and communicate effectively during these challenging and uncertain times. This includes advice on how to maintain productivity, collaboration, and learning among teams that may need to work remotely during this crisis.
Journalist’ Toolbox
April 9, 2020Journalist’ Toolbox by Mike Reilly provides a collection of the latest COVID-19 related resources.
National Association of Science Writers – Resources for covering Covid-19
April 9, 2020he National Association of Science Writers (NASW) has created this list of resources for our members and all others covering the COVID-19 coronavirus disease pandemic. We will update it regularly. All resources were publicly accessible at the time of listing.
Association of Health Care Journalists (AHCJ) Covering Covid-19
April 9, 2020AHCJ provides resources and webcasts for health care journalists covering COVID-19.
American Medical Writers Association COVID-19
April 9, 2020The American Medical Writers Association (AMWA) is the leading professional organization for writers, editors, and other communicators of medical information. AMWA supports evidence- and science-based medicine; the use of clear language to accurately communicate science and medicine to all stakeholders—consumers, health care professionals, regulators, and government officials alike; and the use of objectivity and diligent research in pursuit of accurate and unbiased reporting.
News Leaders Association (formerly ASNE & APME)
April 9, 2020NLA aims to foster and develop the highest standards of trustworthy, truth-seeking journalism; to advocate for open, honest and transparent government; to fight for free speech and an independent press; to nurture the next generation of news leaders committed to spreading knowledge that informs democracy.
Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE)
April 9, 2020Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) offers new online training webinars open to all journalists investigating and reporting on COVID-19 related issues.
American Meteorological Society
April 9, 2020American Meteorological Society provides resources to their members during the COVD-19 pandemic.
National Press Photographers Association
April 9, 2020National Press Photographers Association advocates for and provides visual journalists resources, training and funding opportunities.
Pew Research Center
April 9, 2020Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan fact tank conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. We will be listing links to public opinion research about journalism during the coronavirus crises here:
RTDNA Coronavirus Reporting Resources
April 9, 2020The Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) is the world's largest professional organization devoted exclusively to broadcast and digital journalism.
TV Broadcasting from Home webinar recording and other resources
National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ)
April 9, 2020The National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) is dedicated to the recognition and professional advancement of Hispanics in the news industry. Established in April 1984, NAHJ created a national voice and unified vision for all Hispanic journalists.
Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) COVID-19 Resources
April 9, 2020The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. The organization is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior. Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press.
International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA)
April 9, 2020Members of IFWTWA share stories on how they, as travelers and travel writers, are handling the pandemic. Many of them quickly wrote and sent me articles, and in this special issue of Food, Wine, Travel Magazine, we present them to you. This may not be the most beautiful issue we’ve put out, but we want you to find not only useful information on what you can do during these trying times but also stories that will tell you what and how others around the world are doing.
Library guides from MU
April 9, 2020Many publishers and content providers have opened some of their resources to assist universities with moving classes to online only. This guide is a listing of resources with temporary expanded access.
Covering Covid-19 Briefing – Poynter
April 9, 2020Resources on covering COVID-19 from Poynter.
Nieman Lab – How journalists are working together to cover the COVID-19 pandemic
April 9, 2020How journalists are working together to cover the COVID-19 pandemic, an article by Stefanie Murray, director of the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University.
Society of Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) COVID-19 Resources
April 10, 2020Society for Business Editors and Writers (SABEW) It is SABEW’s mission as an independent, non-profit organization to encourage comprehensive reporting of economic events without fear or favoritism and to increase members’ skills and knowledge through continuous education.
Webinar - April 14, 2-3 p.m. EDT: Coronavirus – Covering the Business Impact of the Pandemic
The Coalition for Women in Journalism - COVID-19: A Resource Page for Journalists
April 13, 2020The Coalition For Women In Journalism stands in solidarity and support with all journalists covering this massive story today. As a support organization for women, we have developed resources and tool kits that any journalist can consult.
The Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin
April 9, 2020The Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin launched a survey asking people what information about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic they wanted local news outlets to share. The findings are below:
World Advertising Research Council (WARC) Marketing in the COVID-19 Crisis
April 9, 2020A special series on responding to and rebounding from the COVID-19 crunch.
COVID-19: Publishers are stuck between a reader rock and an advertising hard place
April 9, 2020Publishers hope to emerge from the crisis by fortifying brand and user relationships – even if that means accepting short-term pain, writes Alex Brownsell.
Chartbeat coronavirus engagement analysis
April 9, 2020Chartbeat is a content intelligence platform for publishers using historical and real-time analytics to analyze customer engagement.
Nielsen Insights - Audience Engagement During COVID-19
April 10, 2020The Nielsen Corporation is a global provider of market research and analyses of media and viewer interactions.
How to demonstrate trustworthiness with your coronavirus coverage
April 13, 2020Media.com discusses how to demonstrate the credibility of news to consumers.
Chronicle of Philanthropy
April 9, 2020U. S. Company and Foundation Grants for Covid-19 Relief.
GrantStation
April 9, 2020Covid-19 related Funding opportunities.
PND list of Covid-19 Disaster Relief Funds
April 9, 2020PND list of Covid-19 Disaster Relief Funds.
World Health Organization, United Foundations Swiss Philanthropy Foundation
April 9, 2020Covid-19 Voluntary Response Fund (fund raiser).
The NDN COVID-19 Response Project
April 16, 2020The NDN COVID-19 Response Project is designed to provide rapid response resources to Indigenous communities bracing from economic impacts, stresses to public services and combating the spread of misinformation; reaching affected communities through organizations and tribal programs delivering urgent, frontline services including immediate relief, resources and gap services.
COVID-19 Panels & discussions for journalists
April 10, 2020Discussions around resources on topics like safety, self care, data, revenue and other challenges journalists are encountering during the COVID-19 pandemic.
COVID-19: Data & context for journalists
April 10, 2020Panelists Caroline Chen of ProPublica, Armand Emamdjomeh of the Washington Post, Jennifer LaFleur of American University and Cheryl Phillips of Big Local News at Stanford University will address where journalists can find accurate data about COVID-19, share advice for using the data within larger context responsibly and ways to deliver that information to communities in easily understandable formats for the greatest impact. Recorded.
COVID-19: Staying safe while in the field
April 10, 2020Panelists Carlos Gonzalez of the San Francisco Chronicle, Paige Cornwell of the Seattle Times and Kent Porter of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat answered questions about their experience producing journalism during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recorded.
Covering coronavirus: An online course for journalists
April 13, 2020This course from First Draft News covers how to understand “information disorder;” and how/why false information spreads; how to monitor for Coronavirus related information on the social web; the main tools and techniques for verifying content online; best practice to slow down the spread of misinformation; and how to look after your own mental health while covering a health pandemic.