2017 Sundance Film Festival turns its lens on climate change, environment

Last week, as Donald J. Trump was being inaugurated as the 45th president of the United States in Washington, D.C., festival-goers in Park City, Utah, were preparing for premieres, parties and protests at the Sundance Film Festival. The MIF staff, its board of directors and various colleagues were focusing on how to move forward with effective, engaging storytelling, especially as it pertains to the health of our planet. Read More

At the 2016 Media Impact Forum, we explored the networks, data and collaborations that support and amplify powerful narratives in film, journalism virtual reality and more. Agenda 9:30 a.m.—Welcome and Introductions Vince Stehle, Executive Director, Media Impact Funders Andrew Rasiej, Founder/CEO, Civic Hall Musical interlude Michael Thurber, Composer, Performer, From the Top 9:55 a.m.—Tech Support: Mapping Our Networks Foundation Maps for Media Funding Sarah Armour-Jones, Consultant, Media Impact Funders Nicholas Savot, Electronic Grant Analyst, Foundation Center Mapping the System Dynamics of Local Journalism Jessica Clark, Research and Strategy Director, Media Impact Funders Paul Waters, Program Associate, Democracy Fund The Story that Moved Us: When I Walk + AXS Map as Building Blocks for Change Jason DaSilva, Producer, Director, Writer, Activist & Founder, AXS Labs Vince Stehle, Executive Director, Media Impact Funders 11 a.m.—Networking Break 11:30 a.m.—The Power and Impact of Investigative Reporting David Rousseau, Vice President and Executive Director of Health Policy Media Technology, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Troubled Water: Uncovering Massive Fraud in Flint, Michigan Amy Goodman, Co-host, Democracy Now! Curt Guyette, Investigative… Read More

In November, Media Impact Funders and Vulcan Productions convened award-winning media makers, funders and researchers to share best practices for crafting high-impact media on climate change. In this guest post, Annie Neimand—the research director and executive editor for the frank conference and website—rounds up the latest research on what works in environmental communications, which she presented at that gathering. Read More

By Vincent Stehle | Originally from The Chronicle of Philanthropy Once the United Nations Conference on Climate Change wraps up this weekend, it will become more important than ever that foundations step in and persuade citizens around the world to make sure government leaders follow through on the pledges made in Paris. We have already seen tremendous partnerships between grant makers and media organizations that set the standard for what needs to happen next. But they pale in comparison to what the energy industry is spending to protect its practices, and that’s why the next phase of action is so crucial. Read More