Grist - American Journalism Project

Grist is a nonprofit, independent media organization dedicated to telling stories of climate solutions and a just future. Its goal is to combine the power of journalism, community engagement, and talent development to shift culture and advance equitable solutions to the climate crisis. With a 20-year history as a digital media pioneer, Grist is deeply committed to ensuring issues of climate change, environmental justice, and solutions are accessible to the public — ultimately to inspire and mobilize people to act. In 2023, Grist became the first climate media organization to win a prestigious National Magazine Award for General Excellence.

Since 1999, the newsroom has produced climate journalism for a national audience. Today, mainstream outlets like The New York Times and the Washington Post are ramping up their climate reporting. While that won’t stop Grist from maintaining an authoritative voice at the national level, there’s a new opportunity to advance Grist’s mission locally through partnerships with local media.

In 2022, Grist launched a local news initiative, through an embedded reporter model, that brings the news organization’s expertise on human-centered climate stories to local outlets and audiences. Grist’s first embedded reporter is at WABE in Atlanta, and in the past few months, the team has expanded to WBEZ in Chicago and Interlochen Public Radio in Northern Michigan.

‘‘

As the climate crisis strikes different parts of the U.S., it’s essential for Grist to report in as many communities as possible across the country. We are grateful to the American Journalism Project for seeing the value in Grist — and putting us in a position to grow our local partnerships, both with other newsrooms but also with community stakeholders and local and regional funders.

Nikhil Swaminathan, CEO

Leaders

Nikhil Swaminathan

CEO

Nikhil Swaminathan is the CEO of Grist. He was previously Grist’s editor in chief and has been with the organization since 2017. Swaminathan has established Grist as a leader in solutions-based climate reporting while helping position climate as a social justice issue. Grist transformed into a digital magazine under his watch, garnering honors including General Excellence at The National Magazine Awards, among many others. Previously, he held editorial positions at Scientific American, Al Jazeera America, and Archaeology, and was part of the inaugural class of Ida B. Wells fellows at Type Investigations. He serves on the board of the American Society of Magazine Editors and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project.
Katherine Bagley

Executive Editor

Katherine Bagley is the executive editor of Grist. She was previously the managing editor of Yale Environment 360 and a reporter for InsideClimate News, covering the intersection of climate science, politics, and policy. Her work has been honored by the American Society of Magazine Editors, Online News Association, Deadline Club, and the Audubon Society's Women in Conservation, as well as included in the anthology Best American Science and Nature Writing.