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Highlights & Awards

Grist — September 20, 2022

Grist’s next chapter: A note from our new CEO
After five years at Grist, Editor in Chief Nikhil Swaminathan takes the helm of the organization.

Grist names Nikhil Swaminathan as CEO
Swaminathan to advance and expand the nonprofit, award-winning digital media site’s commitment to climate and social justice reporting. Grist also names board members emeritus.


View: Past Highlights


Awards

National Magazine Awards (from the American Society of Magazine Editors)

2023 – Winner for General Excellence in Literature, Science and Politics

2022 – Nominee for General Excellence in Literature, Science and Politics

Online News Association’s Online Journalism Awards

2022 – Finalist for the Knight Award for Public Service (Ghosts of Polluters Past)

2022 – Finalist for Digital Video Storytelling Series, Small/Medium Newsrooms (Proof of Concept)

2022 – Finalist for Excellence in Social Justice Reporting (Ghosts of Polluters Past)

2022 – Finalist for Explanatory Reporting, Small Newsrooms (The Burning Issue)

2022 – Finalist for Feature, Small Newsrooms (Road to Ruin)

2022 – Finalist for the Gather Award in Community-Centered Journalism (In the Shadow of the Refineries)

2021 – General Excellence, Small Newsroom

2021 – Best Topical Reporting on Climate Change (ahead of The New York Times)

2021 – Best Investigative Data Journalism (ahead of ProPublica)

Editor & Publisher EPPY Awards

2023 – Best use of data/infographics (Washed Away: How disaster relief leaves Kentucky’s landslide victims behind)

SEAL Awards

2023 – Kate Yoder

2022 – Shannon Osaka is one of top 12 environmental journalists

2020 – Shannon Osaka

2020 – Zoya Teirstein

2018 – Nathanael Johnson

LION Local Journalism Awards

2023 – Nominations for LION Business of the Year, Product of the Year (Parched newsletter), Accountability Award (Any Way the Wind Blows)

FOLIO: Eddie Awards

2022 – Winner for Investigative Journalism, Consumer (Road to Ruin)

2022 – Nominated for Investigative Journalism, Consumer (Road to Ruin)

2022 – Nominated for Website, Consumer/City & Regional

2022 – Nominated for Series of Articles: Consumer, News/Science & Technology/General Interest (The Burning Issue)

2022 – Nominated for Video, Consumer (Proof of Concept)

2021 – Winner for Editorial Use of Data

2021 – Winner for Single Article Editorial Excellence

2021 – Finalist for Best Analysis

2020 – Best Overall Consumer Website

2019 – Best Essay/Criticism, Kate Yoder

2018 – Best Overall Consumer Website and Rising Star Honoree, Jesse Nichols

Society of Environmental Journalists Annual Reporting Awards

2023 – Honorable mention for Outstanding Beat Reporting, Small (Zoya Teirstein for climate and disease reporting)

2022 – First place in the Outstanding Student Reporting (to Cameron Ogelsby for her Hogwash: Making fuel from pig poop sounds exciting — unless you live nearby.)

2022 – Third place for Outstanding Feature Story, Small (You Strike a Match)

2022 – Honorable mention for Outstanding Feature Story, Small (Shannon Osaka for Can ‘the people’ solve climate change? France decided to find out.)

2022 – Honorable mention for Outstanding Beat Reporting (Nate Johnson on wildfires)

2020 – Third Place for Outstanding Feature Story

2020 – Honorable Mention for Outstanding Beat Reporting and Outstanding Explanatory Reporting

2020 – Heroes of Environmental Journalism, Yvette Cabrera & Naveena Sadasivam

Institute for Nonprofit News Awards

2023 – Nominations for Insight Award for Visual Journalism (Austyn Gaffney and Martha Park) and Emerging Leader of the Year (Nikhil Swaminathan)

2022 – Nominated for Journalism Collaboration of the Year Award (Ghosts of Polluters Past)

2022 – Nominated for Breaking Barriers Award (Road to Ruin)

2021 – Finalist for Explanatory Journalism

Edward R. Murrow Awards from Radio Television Digital News Association

2022 – Winner in Overall Excellence among small digital news organizations

2022 – Winner in Investigative Reporting category among small digital news organizations (Abandoned Wells)

Covering Climate Now Awards

2023 – Nomination for Writing, Long Form (The Cochise County Groundwater Wars)

2022 – Winner in Emerging Journalist category (Shannon Osaka)

2022 – Two nominations for Industry Innovation (Climate Fiction and Uproot Project)

Outdoor Writers Association of America

2022 – First Prize for Column Writing (Derrick Z Jackson, for Grist and UCS)

Sigma Awards for Data Journalism

2022 – Short-listed

NIHCM Awards in Journalism and Research

2022 – Finalist in Digital Media Category

Peter Lisagor Awards from Chicago Headline Club

2022 – Nominee for Best Reporting on Race and Diversity

Webby Awards

2022 – Honorable Mention for News and Politics

Society of News Design: Best of News Design

2021 – Gold Medal – New site, page, app or other product

NYU American Journalism Online Award

2021 – Best Twitter Thread

Digiday Media Awards

2021 – Finalist for Most Innovative Publisher

2021 – Finalist for Editorial Team of the Yearr

2020 – Finalist for Best Newsletter and Best Single Article

Drum Awards for Online Media

2021 – Finalist for Best Specialist News Site

2021 – Finalist for Editor of the Year (Nikhil Swaminathan)

2020 – Finalist for Editor of the Year, Specialist News Site, and Content Creator of the Year

Scripps-Howard Award

2021 – Excellence in Opinion Writing (Derrick Z. Jackson)

Society for Professional Journalists, Northwest Excellence in Journalism Awards

2019 – Best Reporting Series Video, Jesse Nichols

2018 – Best Column, Eve Andrews


Past Highlights

Grist — March 7, 2023

How Grist launched a reader-inspired climate book club.

Columbia Journalism Review — January 29, 2021

Grist included in the Climate Beat newsletter as good reporting on the Biden administration’s early climate moves.

Green Dreamer — January 21, 2021

Brady Walkinshaw: empowering activists with solutions-driven environmental journalism.

Lenfest — January 21, 2021

How Grist is broadening its reach by focusing on the intersectionality of climate change.

Cheddar — December 1, 2020

Grist reporter Shannon Osaka on The Biggest Climate Change Moments of 2020 and What to Expect in 2021.

Digiday — November 17, 2020

‘People give when they’re excited about good things’: Grist CEO Brady Piñero Walkinshaw on what drives member support.

CSPAN Radio — November 17, 2020

Washington Today: Zoya Teirstein of Grist on the Republican party and climate change.

Cheddar — August 13, 2020

Experts Want to Start Naming Heatwaves Like Hurricanes, featuring Grist reporter Shannon Osaka as an expert.

Atlantic Media — August 11, 2020

Grist CEO Brady Piñero Walkinshaw headlines “The Idea” newsletter from Atlantic Media.

Columbia Journalism Review — July 23, 2020

Grist “doing sterling work” on climate journalism.

Axios — June 2, 2020

Pacific Standard finds a new home at Grist.

Neiman Lab — June 2, 2020

Grist takes over Pacific Standard’s assets, will maintain its archives.

NPR — November 4, 2019

What Are Coal Companies Leaving Behind In Texas? on NPR’s 1A with Grist writer Naveena Sadasivam.

CBS — May 12, 2019

Grist politics writer Zoya Teirstein appears on CBS to discuss the Green New Deal.

Fast Company — March 12, 2019

Fast Company highlights Grist’s annual list of emerging sustainability leaders, the Grist 50.

MSNBC — January 11, 2019

Grist’s coverage of youth climate strikes appears on MSNBC with Chris Hayes.