The Asia chapter of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA-Asia), Temasek Foundation and climateXchange are pleased to announce the launch of the Climate Collaboration Challenge Asia, a cross-border collaborative journalism program that brings together newsrooms across Southeast Asia to produce sustainable, high-quality climate reporting.
The Climate Collaboration Challenge Asia is an initiative open to all newsrooms across Southeast Asia, culminating in the award of a grant of up to USD 15,000 to support a collaborative, cross-border reporting project on a climate-related issue. It will take place in Bangkok at AAJA-Asia’s New.Now.Next Media Conference 2026 (N3Con 2026), from 21-23 May.
The Climate Collaboration Challenge Asia aims to:
- Build trust and collaboration between the philanthropic sector, news organizations, and key stakeholders in the fight against climate change.
- Foster cross-border collaborative climate reporting among Southeast Asian newsrooms across all media platforms — print, radio, broadcast, online, social and digital-first outlets.
- Empower local newsrooms to reimagine climate coverage in ways that produce tangible benefits for the communities they serve.
HOW IT WORKS
Up to 15 senior editors will be selected to take part in the program. Participants will join a virtual session on 6 May to share their story ideas with one another, identify shared interests, and begin forming teams comprising three to four newsrooms. They will attend in person from 21 May at N3Con in Bangkok for a series of roundtables, workshops, and conference sessions.
Participants will pitch collaborative cross-border project proposals on 22 May before a judging panel of senior news professionals. One winning team selected by the judging panel will receive a grant of up to $15,000 USD. The winning team will then develop and publish its collaborative story by the end of 2026, with impact and editorial mentorship from climateXchange to help ensure climate culture resonance and lasting community impact.
News media from all platforms (print, online, TV, radio) from any Southeast Asia country are warmly welcome to participate.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until 17 April.
For inquiries, please write to asia@aaja.org
Apply here
PROGRAM DETAILS
Timeline
- 17 March Applications open – Slots are assigned on a rolling, first-come, first served basis
- 17 April Applications close
- 20 April Announcement of selected participants
- 6 May Virtual idea-sharing and team-forming session
- 21-23 May In-person attendance by participants and grant award to one winning team at N3Con 2026
- 31 Dec Deadline to publish the climate-centered story
Eligibility
Newsrooms from any media platform (print, online, TV, radio) from Southeast Asia (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam) are invited to apply between 12 March and 17 April. Up to two newsrooms per market will be selected to take part in the program.
Each newsroom can appoint up to two senior editors to take part in the program.
Applicants must commit to:
– Attending the virtual and in-person legs of the program;
– Pitching climate-related topics for cross-border collaborative projects;
– Developing and publishing their project before the deadline following the grant award, if their pitch is successful; and
– Producing a post publication research report on the project’s impact.
Logistics and costs
The program covers, for each selected newsroom, the cost for up to two senior editors to travel to and stay in Bangkok on 21-23 May (2 nights). It will also include a complimentary ticket to attend all sessions of N3Con 2026.
The program includes a welcome dinner on 21 May, lunch, coffee breaks and a cocktail reception on 22 May, and lunch and coffee breaks on 23 May.
Each participating editor is required to pay a registration fee of $130 USD as a contribution towards the program and conference costs. Newsrooms must also cover their participants per diem (if applicable), compulsory travel insurance, and visa fees if required.
Grant awarding process
One grant of up to $ 15,000 USD will be awarded by the judging panel to a cross-border journalism collaboration project involving at least three Southeast Asian newsrooms.
The winning team, within 3 weeks following the grant award, will need to submit a detailed project proposal including the following information:
• Collaborative project’s topic, background and problem statement
• Details of the collaboration between newsrooms
• Objectives and expected outcomes
• Proposed activities to achieve outcomes, timeline and milestones
• Budget estimate: must include all direct costs linked to the project, including time spent by reporters. The grant does not cover overhead costs, equipment purchases, seed funding for start-ups or innovation projects, or marketing costs for promoting the story.
• Distribution plan
The winning team will receive the mentorship support of a climate editorial team from climateXchange, including an impact specialist, to accompany this project, ensuring the story lives on in the community producing tangible impact.
The winning team must commit to publish their collaborative project before the deadline following the grant award.
Apply here
For inquiries, please write to asia@aaja.org.
The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is a nonprofit educational and professional organization with more than 1,500 members across the U.S. and Asia. The Asia chapter of AAJA represents members across the Asia-Pacific region. It is a diverse, multi-ethnic community of local and international journalists and media professionals committed to supporting a vibrant press in the Asia-Pacific region. It is committed to advance news diversity in Asia, foster the next generation of journalists, empower journalists from underrepresented communities, strengthen trust in quality journalism and contribute to building more democratic and harmonious societies through fair representation in Asia news.
About Temasek Foundation
Temasek Foundation supports a diverse range of programmes that uplift lives and communities in Singapore and Asia. Temasek Foundation’s programmes are made possible through philanthropic endowments gifted by Temasek, as well as gifts and other contributions from other donors. These programmes strive to deliver positive outcomes for individuals and communities now, and for generations to come. Collectively, Temasek Foundation’s programmes strengthen social resilience; foster international exchange and catalyse regional capabilities; advance science; and protect the planet. For more information, visit www.temasekfoundation.org.sg.
About climateXchange
climateXchange (cXc), a Syli brand, is moving beyond expected climate news reporting to reshape society’s relationship with the environment. Our mission transforms the climate conversation through Climate Culture Journalism, using a three-pillar impact model: Narrative consultancy with proprietary methodologies to upskill media in culture-first storytelling; a global, cross-industry Network that facilitates thought leadership and regional collaboration; and a business-forward Knowledge service that drives media product and service innovation and research through the Climate Culture Theory of Change. By joining the dots on climate, culture, and impact, cXc supports a sustainable foundation for the future of climate new media.