Who we support
Get to Know the Other Grow Grantees
Netzwerk Recherche launched the German Grow Fellowship program for nonprofit journalism in 2016. So far, nine projects in Germany have been funded. Netzwerk Recherche is offering journalistic advice and networking opportunities, is organizing tailor-made workshops and is merging the fellows with the lively philanthropic and social entrepreneurship scene in Germany. This year, Netzwerk Recherche is expanding the Grow Fellowship with a European perspective. Here we introduce some German Grow Fellows, showing the diversity and creativity of nonprofit journalism.
MedWatch – Debunking Medical Hoax
MedWatch is debunking false claims of dubious medical treatment on the internet. The two founders, Nicola Kuhrt and Hinnerk Feldwisch-Drentrup, both award-winning science journalist with a long history of medical reporting, see themselves as watchdogs in the almost unregulated legal grey area of online health and medical advertising. Be it a miracle cure for cancer or healing tinctures or pastes to treat rheumatism and diabetes – MedWatch digs into medical data to fact check and often contradict such claims and reveal them as a hoax. What started out of passion and conviction a few years ago was recently awarded the „Netzwende“ award for it’s innovative approach. Netzwerk Recherche is proud to have been part of this journey as MedWatch is a grantee of the 2017 Grow program for nonprofit journalism start ups.
Flüchtling Magazin – Giving Refugees a Voice
Flüchtling means refugee in German and Flüchtling Magazin is giving refugees a voice. Syria born journalist Hussam Al Zaher, who had to flee his home country, started this project as an online platform in 2017. He and his team of more than twenty volunteers report on pressing issues of refugees coming to Germany but also about the work of those who welcome and support them. With his project that is also published in print Al Zaher wants to start a conversation between the civil society and their „new neighbors“ to overcome prejudice and build bridges. The magazine was a Grow recipient in the latest round of the grant program.
Einfach Heidelberg – Easily understandable local news
For citizens of the city of Heidelberg with disablities or limited reading skills this barrier free news site enables social and democratic participation in their communities. Einfach Heidelberg‘s news reports are written in easily understandable language, freely accessible and also provided as audio files for visually impaired people. Since journalist Moritz Damm started the project in 2016 an editorial team of more than twenty people with and without disabilities is working on their goal to give all people in Heidelberg – irrespective of their origin, education, age and health status - the chance to join the conversation.
FragDenStaat – Fighting for Freedom of Information
FragDenStaat is an online platform dedicated to the right on freedom of information. It provides an easy tool for every citizen to request data, information and documents from German authorities. The project, run by Open Knowledge Foundation Deutschland e.V., thus lowers the psychological barrier to exercising the right to information by making it easy to ask and puts available information in public domain. The platform also gathers data on the authorities' responses and denials to track transparency levels of the government.