On Dec 19, 2023, at 12:59 PM, Mark Shields <mshields@wffmail.com> wrote:

Hey Bill –

The Walton Family Foundation works from the belief that fact-based, independent journalism is essential to making sure communities have the information they need on the issues that matter most. Journalists and outlets - including Civil Eats - who receive support from the foundation have full editorial control over their content.

For example, in the early phase of the pandemic, the Walton Family Foundation contributed funds to the Society of Environmental Journalists' Rapid Response emergency story grants. Those funds were especially important for environmental journalists at a time when an unprecedented number of jobs were being cut, leaving fewer reporters to cover critical issues.

SEJ’s report on the journalism that was supported by that grant is attached to this message. A reporter with a story commissioned by Civil Eats applied for and accepted a Rapid Response grant for a story on wild salmon. That reporting was done completely independently – just like all of the other journalism that the Walton Family Foundation supports. Notably, that grant has not posed any roadblocks to Civil Eats as it has turned its scrutiny toward the foundation’s work (the relevant Civil Eats story is excerpted below).

David Moskowitz, for "Wild Salmon, Fish Farms and First Nations." In the waters around Vancouver Island, Canada, the future of wild salmon hang in the balance in a tug-of-war between Scandinavian corporations that operate open-water fish farms and conservation interests that see these farms as the final nail in the coffin for wild salmon runs up and down the British Columbia coast. This moment presents opportunities and risks for sovereign First Nations with increasing power over what goes on within the boundaries of their traditional territory. Within a complicated matrix of influences, each First Nation must sort out how to balance traditional cultural values, food security and economic opportunity.

"Some First Nations Are Fighting Fish Farms in BC to Protect Their Waters and Cultures," Civil Eats, December 7, 2020.

All of the stories funded by Rapid Response grants are available online. SEJ's communications about the Rapid Response grants included this statement:

"For the last 10 years, SEJ's Fund for Environmental Journalism has helped foundation partners and individual donors support journalism projects that are editorially independent and independently juried. Support for the Rapid Response grants comes from The Hewlett Foundation, The Bullitt Foundation, Walton Family Foundation and other foundation and individual donors to the Fund for Environmental Journalism."

Thanks,

M.

Mark Shields Senior Communications Officer – Environment Program

Walton Family Foundation