2025 CatchLight Mental Health Visual Desk EOI

Overview

For this first call for Expressions Of Interest (EOI), CatchLight is looking to support local newsrooms whose reporting efforts are helping reframe how mental health is seen, felt, and understood—one story at a time.

This year, CatchLight will be launching a mental health visual desk initiative. As part of this effort, we have created an opportunity for CA-based local newsrooms and/or members of the visuals desk to apply for funding to support visual storytelling on their mental health reporting. Both new and in-progress reporting projects are eligible. CatchLight will award around 4 to 5 grants for this initial call.

Mental health is a critical and complex issue intersecting with many aspects of social life and public policy. Visual journalism—through photography, illustration, video, data visualization, and design—can play a powerful role in illuminating these connections with nuance and empathy. We are particularly interested in reporting that explores how California’s $6.4 billion mental health bond, authorized by Proposition 1 in 2024, is serving (or not serving) the communities and issues for which funds have been distributed across California. 

Through this initiative, CatchLight aims to support visual storytelling that goes beyond statistics to reflect local community experiences, challenges, cultural context, and structural realities and potential solutions. 

We are currently seeking proposals from local visual desk newsroom members interested in producing visually-driven stories that explore the intersection of mental health and one or more of the following key themes:

  • Youth & Young Adults
  • Climate Displacement
  • Criminal Justice
  • Maternal Health & Caregiving

This initiative offers both financial support and visual editorial guidance to help newsrooms deepen their coverage, enhance storytelling impact, leverage visuals for impactful community engagement, and center the lived experiences of local communities, issues, and perspectives often underrepresented in mainstream media.
 

Selected EOIs will receive:

  • Grant funding from $2,500 to $10,000 per newsroom/project. Funding will be provided in two payments 50% on the onset and 50% following publication of the project. CatchLight will also pay direct fees for freelance photojournalists.  
  • Editorial guidance and mentorship from experienced visual editors, engagement specialists, and mental health-focused journalists.
  • Optional group workshops and resources on mental health reporting and engagement.


 

Project Scope & Eligibility

We welcome proposals for projects that meet the following criteria:

  • Focus on mental health as a central theme, not a peripheral issue.
  • Are designed to be visually driven or include a strong visual storytelling component (e.g., photo essays, illustrations, video, data viz, or mixed media).
  • Include cross-publication plans, with the story published by your newsroom, CatchLight, and distribution partners including CalMatters, KQED, and KFF. Target publication date within six months of receipt of funding.
  • Commit to submitting a reflection form within six weeks following the publication of a story, outlining key outcomes, performance metrics, etc. 

 

Are aligned with one or more of the following thematic areas:

  • Youth and Young Adults: Mental health challenges among teens and emerging adults; school and university pressures; access to care; identity formation.
  • Climate Displacement: Psychological toll of climate change, eco-anxiety, displacement due to climate disasters, and community adaptation.
  • Criminal Justice: Mental health inside jails/prisons, reentry challenges, diversion programs, mental health courts, and policing.
  • Motherhood: Postpartum mental health, intergenerational trauma, caregiving stress, mental health in immigrant or low-income mothers.


 

Process Timeline

  • Invitation for expressions of interest posted [August 18]
  • 1st Round Deadline: [rolling until September 16]
  • Award Notifications: [rolling by Oct 1]
  • Project Timeline: Projects should be completed within 6 months of receiving the first funding payment.
We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions.
Apply now