Welcome to the Local Fix. Each week we look at key debates in journalism sustainability and community engagement through the lens of local news. The Local Fix team is on the road, so we are sending along a short note this week.

One Good Idea: World Press Freedom Day
It is World Press Freedom Day, and PEN America is mobilizing people across the United States to mark the occasion. Check out how to get involved here. If you are talking to your friends and neighbors about World Press Freedom Day, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press offers five research-backed recommendations for reinforcing the value of a free press to help.

Four Things to Apply For

In place of our normal round-up of links and resources here are four fantastic opportunities to apply for funding and training.

1) 💻 The Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting and ProPublica are once again teaming up to host The Data Institute. This 2-week intensive workshop will teach you how to use data, design and code for journalism. Apply by May 5.

2) 👂🏽 The American Press Institute has opened applications for a new year-long program to support news organizations that want to build more of their journalism based on community listening. Apply by May 24.

3) 💪🏾 Poynter and Washington Post are partnering for the Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media, a tuition-free leadership program to train journalists of color working in digital media to thrive, personally and professionally. Apply by June 14.

4) 👩‍💻 The Data In Local Newsrooms Training Program (supported by the Google News Initiative) provides free data training to small and midsize newsrooms in the U.S. and Canada. Apply by June 17.

Have a good weekend,

Josh and Teresa 
@jcstearns, @gteresa

The Local Fix is a project of the Democracy Fund’s Public Square Program, which invests in innovations and institutions that are reinventing local media and expanding the public square. Disclosure: Some projects mentioned in this newsletter may be funded by Democracy Fund, you can find a full list of the organizations we support on our website.