Planet Detroit — making a big impact with a small newsroom.
"The journalism is landing harder, the team reflects the communities we cover, and for the first time we have real infrastructure for the long haul."
A year ago, Planet Detroit had three editorial staff. Today we have seven.
In 2025 and into 2026, we covered the federal Zug Island air pollution trial through to the final day, when a judge ordered DTE Energy to pay $100 million. Our senior reporter Brian Allnutt was named the Michigan Press Association's 2025 Journalist of the Year. Our data center accountability coverage moved on the AP wire and was republished by The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, and the Toronto Star.
And when Brian surfaced a state finding that Wyandotte had quietly stopped fluoridating its drinking water a decade earlier, the city corrected a public-facing page that had said otherwise for 10 years — that same day.
We brought on Ian Solomon, an Emmy award-winning journalist and Detroit native whose work connects outdoor access to environmental justice. We brought on Ethan Bakuli, who in a single year was selected for three national journalism fellowships. We brought on Ashley Woods Branch, founder of Detour Detroit and a Knight Visiting Nieman Fellow, to lead our revenue strategy.
Our Neighborhood Reporting Lab welcomed 20 new members who have published 15 stories so far this year. And our Civic Action Toolbox — the sidebar on every accountability story that connects readers to the specific meetings and decision-makers behind each issue — now runs on more than 60 articles. Readers are using it. They're showing up to hearings, contacting their representatives, and organizing their neighbors.
None of this happens without the people who fund, read, and share this work. Thank you.
planetdetroit.orgPlanet Detroit's newsroom has more than doubled in the past year. The team we've built reflects the communities we cover.
planetdetroit.orgFour ways we measure the year. Audience, newsroom, impact, community — in numbers, with the work behind them.
Earned and direct audience — not paid acquisition — makes up more than three-quarters of our reach.
planetdetroit.orgPlanet Detroit was the only news outlet that covered the federal Zug Island air pollution trial through to the final day, after which a judge ordered DTE Energy and three subsidiaries to pay $100 million for Clean Air Act violations.
Isabelle Tavares's reporting, produced with support from the Pulitzer Center and Internews' Earth Journalism Network, examined a century of contamination and its health impacts on the communities surrounding Michigan's most polluted zip code.
Residents in Detroit's 48217 neighborhood continue breathing toxic air from Zug Island's coke ovens that exceed emission limits and fail required pollution testing — reporting that became part of the record as the trial unfolded.
planetdetroit.orgBrian Allnutt's data center reporting moved on the AP wire and was republished by The Washington Post, the Toronto Star, the Los Angeles Times, and dozens of other papers. Brian was first to report AG Dana Nessel's intervention in the DTE data center case in Saline Township. The Federal Reserve Bank of Detroit contacted Planet Detroit for Brian's expertise; U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib and state Rep. Dylan Wegela have cited our utility rate-hike reporting publicly.
Brian surfaced a state report finding Wyandotte had quietly stopped fluoridating its drinking water a decade earlier. When we published the story, the city immediately corrected a public-facing page that had said otherwise for 10 years. MPA judges cited this as "undeniable impact."
Planet Detroit's coverage of DTE's rate increases applies to every DTE customer in Southeast Michigan. Our reporting made the regulatory process — built for lawyers — legible to the residents who bear the costs. Elected officials have cited the work publicly.
planetdetroit.orgMore than 60 articles now carry these toolboxes. We track what happens after readers see them.
We the People of Detroit organized with regional and service area partners to increase their attendance and participation. We developed a shareable flyer for those joining virtually and shared talking points that did not pit individual communities against each other.
Contacted my Rep. Will attend April 2 meeting and all meetings regarding this terrible Data Center we don't want n can't afford increases of bills and the detriment to our Community it will cause.
The fellowship recognizes the toolbox as a model for the field, comes with a $100,000 stipend, and will support Planet Detroit in making the technology available to other news organizations.
planetdetroit.orgThe Neighborhood Reporting Lab brings residents into the editorial process on the beats that affect them most. The 2026 cohort has 20 members and has published 15 stories so far — bringing the total to 60+ residents trained over three years.
"Neighborhood Reporting Lab builds a pipeline of new voices in environmental journalism — on the beats that affect them most." — Nina Ignaczak, Founder
planetdetroit.orgResidents, students, community organizers, photographers, and educators — all bringing lived experience to environmental reporting in Metro Detroit.
planetdetroit.org
Judge Sarah Mahoney praised the "undeniable impact" of Brian's work: he documented clear harm, held officials accountable, and sparked change — prompting public meetings and immediate updates to city information. Brian also received the 2025 Outstanding Media Coverage in Civil Engineering Award from the Southeast Michigan Branch of ASCE.
USC Health and Climate Change Reporting Fellowship (flooding health impacts in eastside Detroit). AHCJ/CASW/SEJ Science-Health-Environment Reporting Fellowship — one of six journalists selected nationally. Altavoz Lab Community Journalist Fellowship.
Isabelle received support from the Pulitzer Center and Internews' Earth Journalism Network. ProPublica's engagement team is studying her community reporting tactics, and New Hampshire Public Radio's Report for America reporter is replicating them.
Named to MacArthur's working group driving the field's response to climate coverage gaps. Now in Year 2 of a $500,000 MacArthur Foundation operating grant.
Exploring AI's role in supporting local climate and environmental journalism — informing the development of the Civic Action Toolbox.
Supporting Planet Detroit's climate solutions reporting through the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative — including a series drawing the connections between food waste and climate change.
Nina Ignaczak and Ashley Woods Branch named 2026 RJI Emerging Technology Fellows; $100,000 stipend supports the next version of the Civic Action Toolbox and shares it with other newsrooms.
planetdetroit.orgPlanet Detroit is sustained by an expanding mix of national and regional funders, 45 Impact Partners across Southeast Michigan, and thousands of readers who choose to chip in.
Kresge Foundation· MacArthur Foundation· Joyce Foundation· Knight Foundation· Report for America· Solutions Journalism Network· Patrice K. Aaron Family Foundation· Sustainability Institute of Detroit· NewsMatch· Michigan League of Conservation Voters Education Fund· Reynolds Journalism Institute· Epicenter NYC · McGovern Foundation· Pure Oakland Water· Press Forward· Pulitzer Center· Readers like you
Kresge Foundation· MacArthur Foundation· Joyce Foundation· Knight Foundation· Erb Family Foundation· Report for America· Patrice K. Aaron Family Foundation· Porter Family Foundation· MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowship· NewsMatch· Readers like you
Organizations at the forefront of sustainability, resilience, and community impact in Metro Detroit.
5 Lakes Energy · Alliance for the Great Lakes · Anese & Associates · Clinton River Watershed Council · Corvias Infrastructure Solutions · Detroit 2030 District · Detroit Outdoors · Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice · e3 refillery · Early Works · Elevate · Friends of the Detroit River · Friends of the Rouge · Great Lakes Environmental Law Center · Green Garage · Greening of Detroit · Huron River Watershed Council · JustAir · Make Food Not Waste · Michigan Climate Action Network · Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action · Michigan Environmental Council · Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition · Michigan Green Muslims · Michiganders for a Just Farming System · Midwest Building Decarbonization Coalition · Path Consulting · Six Rivers Land Conservancy · Society of Environmental Journalists · Steelcase · Sticky Lab · The Work Department · Trent Creative · University of Michigan Water Center · Walking Lightly · We Reuse · We Want Green Too
planetdetroit.orgAshley Woods Branch, our Chief Revenue and Partnerships Officer, is leading a three-year fundraising plan that targets $752,000 in total revenue by 2028 and reduces foundation dependency from 73% to 53%.
planetdetroit.orgA small selection of what readers tell us they did after our reporting — from Civic Action Toolbox responses and direct messages to the newsroom.
I contacted my representative for the bills proposing a statewide one-year moratorium on data centers.
Following and will be writing a letter as well and will make public comment at every attempt possible.
Scheduled to attend meetings. Now following recommended organizations.
Contacted Laura at the MPSC and asked that these public meetings be available virtually, and that notification be sent out to all utility customers.
Thank you for keeping us informed about what's happening in our communities. Your work is critical right now.
I look forward to your newsletter every week. Keep up the great work.
I'm lucky to live in a city with Planet Detroit covering the issues that matter to me and my neighbors.
We have to support journalism like this. Glad to be your supporter and grateful for what you do.
Thanks for digging into the stories no one else is covering. Keep going — please.
Nice work. Planet Detroit is exactly the kind of independent journalism Detroit needs right now.
planetdetroit.orgFour initiatives that extend the reach of Planet Detroit's journalism — and the tools that move readers from reading to civic participation.
Planet Detroit's environmental voting guide of record for the November election, covering races and ballot questions across Southeast Michigan. Paid acquisition pilot wraps around it: Meta, Instagram, TikTok, Google & Reddit Ads.
Funded by the Epicenter Civics AI Cohort and supported by the Reynolds Journalism Institute Emerging Technology Fellowship, the next version of the toolbox will deepen our understanding of how readers move from reading to civic participation — and make the tool available to other newsrooms.
An annual convening connecting Planet Detroit's journalism to the practitioners, policymakers, and community organizations working on the same issues. Details on date and location to come; programmed to anchor the Solutions Journalism Network partnership.
Launched in 2026, this vertical delivers environmental and civic information for parents across Metro Detroit. It maps directly to sponsor categories in health care, real estate, and family services — anchoring the corporate-sponsorship revenue line through 2028.
planetdetroit.orgExperts from across business, journalism, advocacy, and academia who support our mission to produce quality climate, equity, health, and environment journalism in the public interest — work that centers grassroots voices, holds power accountable, spotlights solutions, and serves the community.
planetdetroit.orgPlanet Detroit is independent, nonprofit, and reader-supported. Here's how to plug in.
The home of all our environmental and health accountability journalism for Southeast Michigan.
15,000 subscribers and counting. 42% open rate among active readers. The one email worth opening on Detroit's environment.
All donations are tax-deductible through our fiscal sponsor, the Michigan Environmental Council. Monthly memberships from $10 keep the lights on.
Corporate, civic, and nonprofit organizations underwriting and amplifying the work across Southeast Michigan. 45 partners and growing.