As state legislatures prepare to open their 2021 sessions, legislators, governors and other local officials are beginning to plan for bruising battles over redistricting. Many experts predict a repeat of the contentious 2010 battles to redraw legislative and congressional lines that will affect U.S. electoral outcomes for the next decade.

Starting in February, National Press Foundation will hold a series of online workshops to help journalists master these increasingly important beats. On the horizon in 2021 are plummeting state and local tax revenue; new U.S. Census numbers and the related issues of redistricting and gerrymandering; COVID costs and containment efforts; rising health-care costs; campaign finance; and the health of state and local pensions. Expert instructors will help journalists with accessing and localizing federal datasets; putting the impact of the federal government into context; covering Congress and the White House from afar; fact-checking, community engagement and solutions journalism; and making the most of TV or Zoom appearances.

This fellowship consists of eight Friday training sessions, on Feb. 5, 12 19, and 26; March 5, 19 and 26; and April 2. Each session will last 2-3 hours. After those initial dates, some speakers will be brought back for additional Q&A sessions in the summer. This is a competitive program and we will select 25 fellows. Attendance is mandatory for all sessions, and editors must commit to freeing their reporters from daily news duty during program sessions.

This program is funded by Arnold Ventures. NPF is solely responsible for the content.