We began by facilitating an Impact Advisory Committee, bringing together journalists, community advocates, and environmental experts to shape the study’s design, interpret findings, and refine how impact is framed. Through structured workshops, we defined impact metrics, reviewed and synthesized survey and interview data, and developed recommendations to strengthen Planet Detroit’s reach and effectiveness.

To assess impact, we designed a multi-method research approach that included surveys of readers, media partners, and impact collaborators; and one-on-one interviews with policymakers, journalists, and advocacy organizations. Our findings informed an impact report and tracking tool that ensures Planet Detroit can continue measuring and communicating its influence over time.

Impact Report

We wrote and designed the 2019–2023 Planet Detroit Impact Report, the first formal assessment of the organization’s reach and effectiveness. The report provides a structured analysis of Planet Detroit’s influence in four key areas:

• Expanding access to environmental journalism by providing in-depth, solutions-driven coverage of climate, energy, and public health issues that often go unreported.

• Building representation in media by centering grassroots perspectives, supporting BIPOC journalists, and amplifying community voices.

• Strengthening the media ecosystem by extending the reach of its reporting through partnerships with outlets such as BridgeDetroit, Outlier Media, El Central, and Michigan Radio.

• Holding power accountable by producing investigative journalism that informs advocacy efforts and influences policy discussions on energy, water affordability, and pollution.

The report integrates audience engagement metrics, direct testimonials, and case studies illustrating how Planet Detroit’s journalism has led to community action and institutional responses. Designed to be both accessible and engaging, the report balances data-driven analysis with personal impact stories. We designed the report to reflect Planet Detroit’s mission by prioritizing clarity, accessibility, and community-centered storytelling. Photographs ground the data in real-world context, pull quotes amplify community voices, and color-coded data visualizations make key findings easy to understand.

Impact Tracker

We developed a custom impact tracker that allows Planet Detroit to systematically measure the effects of its reporting moving forward. Designed as an internal tool, it captures audience engagement and behavioral changes, institutional and policy impact, and media amplification. The tracker is designed to align with Planet Detroit’s mission and editorial strategy, ensuring the organization has a structured way to document and communicate its impact over time.

Through our work together, Planet Detroit established a foundation for ongoing impact measurement to inform reporting, strengthen partnerships, and sustain independent environmental journalism in Southeast Michigan.