What is Emergency Mode?
Emergency Mode for News is collaborative emergency response infrastructure for news, equipping local journalists and their newsrooms with software, peer learning cohorts, and a disaster reporting action pack so that they can act nimbly and creatively to inform and connect their communities when the unexpected happens.
Who is this for?
Emergency Mode for News is for newsroom planners and activators — the people everyone looks to when a disaster happens. Whether your job title is editor, reporter, or publisher, Emergency Mode is for you.
Who is organizing Emergency Mode?
The program is a collaboration between OpenNews, Newspack, and NC Local, with funding from Press Forward, a national initiative to reimagine local news.
Apply for an EMFN Scholarship+
The Scholarships+ program awards a limited number of $1,000 stipends to individual journalists or newsrooms to help with emergency training, supply or planning needs.
Fill out the application by 11:59 p.m. CT on June 1, 2026 to be eligible.
Stay updated
Want to stay connected about the project? Sign up to for updates about getting involved, future programming and other opportunities.