Digital Catalyst: CJF Mentorship for Independent News

The CJF NextGen Creator-Journalists Program aims to transform aspiring and emerging Canadian content creators into sustainable digital news organizations through 12 months of mentorship, skill-building workshops and support. 

The program is generously supported by Google News Initiative.

Program Overview

Independent news creators and small digital-native news organizations in Canada are eligible for this 12-month training and mentorship program, which will provide a comprehensive toolkit for modern journalism creation and distribution as well as mentorship from Canada’s leading digital-first publishers and experts. Participants who successfully complete the program are eligible for post-program Ambassador stipends of up to $10,000 to support:

• Digital development and equipment
• Digital innovation projects
• Training and certification
• Conference and workshop attendance including final NextGen Showcase event 
• Community impact initiatives

Program goals: 

• Advance the development of early-stage news organizations
• Provide mentorship from digital-first news leaders
• Build sustainable journalism communities
• Create scalable independent media ventures

Program format:

Primarily online with a final in-person presentation event in Toronto.

This training is provided at no cost to participants by the Canadian Journalism Foundation.

Eligibility Criteria

Independent news creators and small digital-native news organizations in Canada seeking to expand their reach and diversify audience engagement strategies. Ideal candidates include independent journalists, podcasters, newsletter publishers, small newsrooms, and digital-first content creators ready to experiment with new platforms and scale their operations.

Primary Applicants Must Have

• Canadian residency or citizenship
• Early-stage or established presence as a news content creator (independent journalist, podcaster, newsletter publisher, small newsroom, or digital-first content creator)
• Commitment to expanding reach and diversifying audience engagement strategies
• Readiness to experiment with new platforms, formats, and distribution methods

Program Timeline

• September-October 2025: Application and Selection Period – applications open for aspiring digital news creators and candidate selection process
• November 2025: Foundation Phase – orientation, setting baselines and defining sustainability workshops
• December 2025-January 2026: Skill Building Phase – weekly group workshops covering data-driven decision-making, value propositions, content strategy, etc.
• February-April 2026: Implementation Phase – Training on YouTube, AI, and other digital tools, editorial standards and ethics, project development and execution, advanced monetization strategies, mentor matching, community discussion and feedback
• May-October 2026: Alumni Support Phase – individual mentorship sessions, group check-ins, advanced workshops, networking opportunities, ongoing resource access, culminating with an in-person Showcase event and program Ambassador stipend distribution.

Guest Speaker Series

Throughout the program, participants will hear directly from Canada’s leading digital-first publishers and journalism innovators. Our guest speakers share real-world insights on successfully building thriving independent news organizations.

Guest experts will include

• Angela Pacienza, Executive Editor at The Globe and Mail, will share insights on Building Your Newsroom: Hiring and Retaining the People Who Power News;
• Arun Venkataraman, Global Lead of Research & Emerging Voices at Google News Initiative,on Building From Global Insights: Adapting to Audience Consumption Trends;
• Jeff Elgie, CEO of Village Media, will present on Building for the Digital-First Era: Lessons from Village Media’s Journey from Startup to Scale;
• Kathy English, Former Public Editor at Toronto Star, will share principles and practices for Building Trust: Editorial Standards for Online Newsrooms; and
• Stephanie Wilson Chapin, Strategic Partner Manager, News, Sports & TV at YouTube Canada, will present a session on Building Your Brand on YouTube: Reach and Revenue Growth Strategies for News Creators.

Ambassador stipend

Participants who successfully complete the program are eligible for post-program Ambassador stipends of up to $10,000 to support:

• Digital development and equipment
• Digital innovation projects
• Training and certification
• Conference and workshop attendance including final NextGen Showcase event 
• Community impact initiatives

Application Information

Applications open Fall 2025. Program seeks content producers ready to implement innovative distribution tactics and committed to building sustainable, impactful journalism ventures.

For more information about the CJF NextGen Creator-Journalists Initiative, contact NextGen@cjf-fjc.ca. 

For more information about the Google News Initiative please visit https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com 

Frequently Asked Questions

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