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 are now closed.

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

Apply now