File Photo
Eugene Driscoll (aka The Valley Indy).
DERBY — The Valley Independent Sentinel was one of four news outlets in Connecticut to be awarded a $5,000 grant from the Facebook Journalism Project.
The grant is being used to bolster The Valley Indy’s COVID-19 coverage.
The Facebook Journalism Project announced 400 news outlets across the country received grants April 7.
The grant program is run in partnership with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and Local Media Association.
The Waterbury Observer, The Connecticut Mirror, and The Record-Journal were the other Connecticut news outlets receiving money.
The Facebook Journalism Project was first offering $1 million to news organizations in the U.S. and Canada. The first 50 recipients were announced in March.
“The Facebook Journalism Project doubled the total grant pool to $2 million after more than 200 publishers applied in the first 48 hours after the application launched,” according to the organization. “The expansion made it possible to help an even greater number of newsrooms navigate the economic impact of the outbreak. The grants will help fulfill needs such as remote work, increasing frequency of publishing, combating misinformation and serving vulnerable and at-risk groups.”
The Valley Indy recently purchased new hardware and software to expand its ability to do podcasts and live video. The Valley Indy has published 15 COVID-19 related podcasts since March 22, in addition to reporting traditional news stories and sharing community COVID-19 announcements.
In all, about 120 virus-related posts have been published on ValleyIndy.org since March 9.
The Valley Indy, which is part of the Online Journalism Project, employs one person who works as a reporter/editor/podcast producer/grant writer.
On Monday, The Facebook Journalism Project started accepting applications for new “local news relief” grants of up to $100,000. Applications will be accepted until April 24.
The grants are happening because of economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Layoffs and furloughs are happening in large numbers in media outlets across the nation — not just print newspapers, by the way.
The number of newspaper and online newspaper reporters working in the lower Naugatuck Valley has been significantly reduced since 2009. The Valley Indy has not been immune, and has reduced its workforce from three reporters in 2012 to one reporter today.
The Valley Indy is coming to the end of its existing grants, and has started applying for grants to (hopefully) fund operations in 2021.
The publication will participate in “The Great Give” May 5 and May 6. The Valley Indy uses the event as a reader drive, and conducts live video interviews with other Valley nonprofit groups to help those groups receive donations.
Readers who want to get a jump on Great Give giving can donate to The Valley Indy here.
