Media Greenhouse

Through our Media Greenhouse program, Renaissance Journalism experiments with and incubates innovative models for storytelling and for gathering and distributing news. We utilize a variety of tools, including grants, technical assistance, training and consultation,  to foster growth and improvement in a media that strengthens and empowers diverse and underserved communities.

Since it’s inception in 2009, Renaissance Journalism has awarded $20,000 grants to support three enterprising Bay Area projects:

Bay Area Video Coalition (BAVC), a media technology center, piloted a network of mini-television studios in San Francisco neighborhoods and trained local residents, including youth, to produce local news programs for public access TV and the Web.

Nichi Bei Weekly, an educational and charitable organization, was an historic newspaper that was on the verge of financial collapse after serving the northern California Japanese American community for 69 years. Renaissance Journalism provided a grant and technical assistance to help resurrect the newspaper as a nonprofit, online news site.

Oakland Local, an online news and community site serving Oakland, piloted two small-scale projects designed to deliver news and information to residents who utilize inexpensive, feature cell phones.

Read more about two other key Media Greenhouse projects: