Bertha Foundation Announce Launch of 2nd Bertha Challenge 

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st-cc1The Bertha Foundation has announced the launch of the second Bertha Challenge, an opportunity for activists and investigative journalists to spend a year deep-diving into one pressing social justice challenge issue.

Successful applicants will receive non-residential paid fellowships and project budgets to work independently and together to: investigate the causes of and solutions to the annual Bertha Challenge; amplify their findings to a wider targeted audience; and connect with diverse stakeholders for information, support and sustainable impact.

The second Bertha Challenge will begin in July 2020 with a focus on our global climate and ecological crises, and specifically support Bertha Fellows to answer the question: How is the relationship between profit and politics contributing to our interconnected climate and ecological crises and what can activists and investigative journalists do to address this?

The Bertha Challenge aims to support the work of activists and investigative journalists by providing time to work exclusively on a focused project, the spaces in which to connect with a diverse global cohort of Bertha Fellows and partners, and the resources to develop tangible products speaking directly to the Challenge question.

For the one year duration, each Bertha Fellow is paid income not exceeding USD $60,000 and commensurate with the Fellow’s current or equivalent salary at the host organization – ideally a media outlet for an investigative journalist and an NGO, community organization or social movement for an activist.

In addition, a project funding of up to USD $10,000 is given to each Bertha Fellow to produce a culminating product that responds to the question posed by the Bertha Challenge. Directed toward a specified target audience, the product could be a series of articles, videos, podcasts, games or drama productions. Where Bertha Fellows work together, they will have the option to pool their project funding to produce on a larger scale.

They will also be trained through regular webinars, topics on a range of issues from current debates around the climate crisis and ecological collapse to methods of investigation, methods of communicating findings through news media, storytelling, popular education and more.

Applications should include a local host organization willing to act as a financial and oversight host. This could be an organization within which potential applicants already work or another appropriate organization willing to host applicants for the year. Bertha Fellows and host organizations are expected to share a commitment to Bertha Challenge objectives and conditions.

It provides space for leaders in their fields to develop professionally.  A further aim is to fuel productive debates and solidify networks that will last beyond the one-year project cycle.

The Bertha Challenge will launch in July 2020 with the Opening Convening at one of Bertha’s partnered global retreat spaces, where Bertha Fellows will meet other Bertha Fellows in the Bertha Challenge 2020/21 cohort, spend dedicated time getting to know one another and get the opportunity to introduce individual work and perspectives.

They will also find opportunities to refine the design of each fellow’s project work for the year within a supportive framework.

They will discuss and frame possibilities for collaboration across the cohort; debate current developments on the climate and ecological crises and responses, and learn from practitioners about innovative ways of reaching their target audience.

To be eligible, fellowship applications must include a local host organization willing to act as a financial and oversight host. This could be an organization within which potential applicants already work or another appropriate organization willing to host applicants for the year.

To apply, interested applicants should submit completed online application form; a brief resume/CV of no more than three pages; a list of 2-4 referees including name, relationship to applicant and contact details; and a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) from applicant’s prospective host, – including commensurate salary and any benefits provided.

For further information and to apply, please visit: http://berthafoundation.org/shorthand_story/the-bertha-challenge/#group-the-challenge-KjD84Z31Ie.

Deadline for submission of application is February 10, 2020.