Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources (INJR)

The Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources is a left-of-center environmentalist journalism training nonprofit based out of Madison, Wisconsin. 1 IJNR puts on training programs for editors and reporters who specialize in environment and natural resource beats. 2

Read More

At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Environmental Policy
Website: www.ijnr.org
CEO:

David Spratt

Location: Madison, WI View on map
Tax ID: 52-2073018
Most Recent Filing: 2025
Budget (2025): Assets: $1,381,916 Revenue: $475,615 Expenses: $656,783

Contents

    The Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources states that climate change “is also revealing a troubled history of racist policies and practices in U.S. city planning.” 3 It stated that the U.S. has disinvested and neglected millions of Americans and made them vulnerable to climate impacts. 4 It stated in 2022 it had a workshop “focused” on “climate justice” and “environmental racism.” 5

    Programs

    The Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources puts on “field-based, immersion-style programming” so that the journalists “get out onto the landscape and hear first-hand from key players.” 6 IJNR pays for the costs of meals, lodging, local transportation and excursions during workshops and employers are expected to pay the full salary of their reporters attending. 6

    The IJNR puts on workshops that last two to three days where journalists will hear between 10 to 20 speakers. 6 It also puts on institutes, which are weeks-long expenses-paid field trips that go on across North America. 6

    2023 Reporting Grant Awards

    Nine reporters were awarded grants by IJNR in 2023. Among the project winners were freelance journalist Emma Foehringer-Merchant and her project titled, “Amid climate change-fueled wildfires, power outages have become the norm in some California communities.” Sarah Melotte, a journalist from North Carolina’s Daily Yonder, was awarded a grant for a project titled, “Amid climate change-fueled wildfires, power outages have become the norm in some California communities.” 7

    History

    Frank Allen, a former bureau chief with the Wall Street Journal, 8 founded the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources in 1995 because he was “disturbed” by the reporting on natural resources and the environment. 9 Allen was the dean of the University of Montana School of Journalism. 9

    Finances

    The Institute for Journalism & Natural Resources had $965,038 in total revenue in 2021. 10 It paid out $365,093 in salaries in 2021. 10 It has total assets of $615,388 in 2021. 10

    IJNR distributed 44 grants for a total of $38,700 in 2022. 11

    People

    Dave Spratt is the CEO of the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources. 12 He worked for 14 years with the Detroit News as an editor. 12

    Karen Scanlon is the chair of the board of trustees for IJNR. She also works as the vice president of environmental stewardship for the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. 13

    Funders

    The Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources is funded by a host of grant-making organizations that support left-of-center causes. IJNR funders include The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Ford Foundation, Robert R. McCormick Foundation, Compton Foundation, Wilburforce Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Gordon E. and Betty I. Moore Foundation, the Joyce Foundation and the McKnight Foundation. 14

    Partnerships with Al Jazeera

    Al Jazeera is an international news network owned by the State of Qatar through the Qatar Media Corporation and is headquartered in Doha, Qatar. 15

    Media Bias/Fact Check gives Al Jazeera a “mixed rating” on factual reporting 16 and stated it has a “left-center bias.” 16

    In 2021, the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources awarded a grant to Al Jazeera editor Jillian Kestler-D’Amours under the “environmental justice” grant for a project titled, “Toxic legacy: The fight to end environmental racism in Canada.” 17

    Al Jazeera reported Dec. 8, 2021, that the reporting for an article was produced in partnership with the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources. 3 Al Jazeera reported July 17, 2023, that the reporting for an article was made possible in part by a fellowship with the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources. 4

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2025 $1,381,916 $475,615 $656,783 View
    2024 $1,406,526 $767,481 $698,807 View
    2023 $1,292,803 $786,014 $514,269 View
    2022 $919,874 $965,038 $590,235 View
    2021 $615,388 $748,939 $440,787 View
    2020 $303,500 $377,571 $666,594 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 5

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    David SprattCEO$151,989

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $6,585,039
    • Number of Grants: 91
    • Number of Funders: 34

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $325,0002025 The Joyce FoundationFor workshops and other trainings of journalists on environmental and climate issues in the Great Lakes region
    $185,0002024 RESOURCES LEGACY FUNDLAND OR MARINE CONSERVATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND/OR ENVIRONMENTAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE
    $180,0002024 Society of Environmental JournalistsCOVERAGE PROJECT
    $165,0002023 The Joyce FoundationJournalism
    $150,0002024 Wilburforce FoundationENVIRONMENTAL – CROWN OF THE CONTINENT INSTITUTE
    $130,0002023 Gordon and Betty Moore FoundationIn support of ocean conservation storytelling.
    $130,0002022 The Joyce FoundationJournalism
    $125,0002023 Wilburforce FoundationENVIRONMENTAL – INSTITUTE ON CRITICAL MINERALS MINING
    $125,0002022 Wilburforce FoundationENVIRONMENTAL
    $125,0002021 Gordon and Betty Moore FoundationIn support of ocean conservation storytelling.
    $90,0002021 Gordon and Betty Moore FoundationTo support ocean policy education in journalism.
    $82,0002023 Society of Environmental JournalistsCOVERAGE PROJECT
    $50,0002022 Society of Environmental JournalistsCOVERAGE PROJECT
    $50,0002022 Wilburforce FoundationENVIRONMENTAL
    $50,0002021 Walton Family FoundationTo conduct a series of two-day online workshops for journalists through 2021.
    $50,0002021 SOLUTIONS JOURNALISM NETWORK INCSUPPORT TRAINING
    $50,0002021 The David and Lucile Packard FoundationFor journalist training on climate and ocean issues
    $50,0002020 Walton Family FoundationSupport for Spring 2020 journalism institute
    $40,0002023 RESOURCES LEGACY FUNDLAND OR MARINE CONSERVATION, CLIMATE CHANGE, AND/OR ENVIRON. EQUITY AND JUSTICE.
    $35,0002021 Wilburforce FoundationENVIRONMENTAL
    $25,0002023 The Llewellyn Foundation C/o Melissa HallmarkGENERAL
    $20,0002021 Society of Environmental JournalistsCOVERAGE PROJECT
    $18,0002025 The Llewellyn Foundation C/o Melissa HallmarkUNRESTRICTED
    $15,0002023 The Joyce FoundationEnvironment
    $10,0002022 The Miami FoundationPROGRAM SUPPORT

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $108,163
    • Number of Grants: 1
    • Number of Recipients: 1

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $108,1632020 Southerly Inc.End of sponsorship, transfer of designated cash balance for southerly.

    Contact InfluenceWatch to report errors, suggest edits, or provide tips for additional profiles.

    Contact Us

    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. 990 Form. 2021. Accessed Sept. 17, 2022. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/522073018/202341029349301629/full
    2. Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. What We Do. Accessed Sept. 19, 2023. https://www.ijnr.org/what-we-do
    3.  Megan O’Toole. Jillian Kestler-D’Amours. “Toxic Legacy”; Al Jazeera. Dec. 8, 2021. Accessed Sept. 16, 2023. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/longform/2021/12/8/toxic-legacy-the-fight-to-end-environmental-racism-in-canada
    4. Jillian Kestler-D’Amours. “U.S. Critical Minerals Push: Can It Be Done Responsibly?”; Al Jazeera. July 17, 2023. Accessed Sept. 16, 2023.  https://www.aljazeera.com/news/longform/2023/7/17/us-needs-more-critical-minerals-can-it-be-done-responsibly
    5. Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. 990 Form. 2021. Part III. Statement Of Program Service Accomplishments. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/522073018/202341029349301629/full
    6. Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. Institutes + Workshops. Accessed Sept. 17, 2023. https://www.ijnr.org/institutes-workshops
    7. Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. IJNR’s 2023 Reporting Grant Awardees. Accessed Sept. 17, 2023. https://web-extract.constantcontact.com/v1/social_annotation_v2?permalink_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fconta.cc%2F3otCe4Q&image_url=https%3A%2F%2Fmlsvc01-prod.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fb1b184df201%2Fd66c5564-1055-48f0-bb56-3562424221fe.png&fbclid=IwAR1mUkJeIHRN0P2kr7nreiUr12_p5QKY2G8KyecH-DJZl3Y71FVekKGbNT0
    8. Todd Wilkinson. “This Rag Stacks Up Well Against The Rest”; Jackson Hole News And Guide. Nov. 12, 2003. Accessed Sept. 16, 2023.
    9. Treesource. “Treesource Board Chair Advocates Stronger Connections Between Foresters, Journalists”; April 28, 2017. Accessed Sept. 16, 2023. https://treesource.org/news/management-and-policy/treesource-board-chair-advocates-better-relationships-foresters-journalists/
    10.  Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. Form 990. 2021. Part I. Summary. Accessed Sept. 16, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/522073018/202211789349301051/full
    11. Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. 990 Form. 2021. Part III. Grants And Other Assistance To Domestic Individuals. Accessed Sept. 16, 2023. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/522073018/202211789349301051/full
    12. Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. Meet The IJNR Staff. Accessed Sept. 19, 2023. https://www.ijnr.org/staff
    13. [1] Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. Board Of Directors. Accessed Sept. 19, 2023. https://www.ijnr.org/board-of-directors
    14. Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. Current And Recent Funders. Accessed Sept. 17, 2023. https://www.ijnr.org/funders
    15. Al Jazeera. About Us. Accessed Sept. 16, 2023. https://www.aljazeera.com/about-us
    16. Media Bias/Fact Check. “Al-Jazeera”; Accessed Sept. 16, 2023 https://mediabiasfactcheck.com/al-jazeera/
    17. [1] Institute For Journalism & Natural Resources. 2021 Field Reporting Awards. Accessed Sept. 19, 2023. https://www.ijnr.org/2021-field-reporting-awards