FairPlanet is a digital media outlet with a global network of over 200 specialised journalists, photographers, and experts producing solution-oriented stories across more than 100 countries. Their mission is to amplify underrepresented voices in climate journalism and human rights reporting, connecting local environmental and social justice stories to a global audience.

Following a successful grant application, FairPlanet received funding to conduct participatory research aimed at refining the organisation’s strategic direction. The project presented an opportunity to explore how the platform could better amplify the voices of its journalists, diversify the media landscape, and strengthen the resilience and sustainability of its business model in an increasingly turbulent environment for not-for-profit media.

I was commissioned to help the organisation articulate its contributions to systemic change, and to design a research sprint that would generate actionable insights to support reflection of their assumptions and the pursuit of longer-term organisational goals.

FairPlanet recently updated its mission statement and reprioritised organisational goals. After discussing these, we identified the need for greater clarity around how its day to day work contributes to long-term impact. While the organisation’s commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices was strong, there was no theory of change to guide strategic decisions.

As well as this, questions also remained about how FairPlanet could better serve its journalists and its audiences, as well as how the organisation might develop a more sustainable business model while existing in a turbulent media landscape.

In response, we co-designed an approach to (a) surface insights about FairPlanet’s role and contribution to impact, in order to align on priorities, and articulate a clear strategic direction, and (b) create a roadmap for the research that balances ambition with achievable outcomes/goals.

We started by co-developing the project proposal to align on scope, deliverables, and a realistic approach that considered the team's capacity.

After an onboarding session, I designed and facilitated two virtual workshops:

• Workshop 1 clarified FairPlanet’s deeper purpose and how its work contributes to impact. We refined the research focus and prioritised key challenges.
• Workshop 2 explored relationships and roles through stakeholder mapping and hypothesis-building to surface assumptions worth testing via semi-structured interviews.

I then synthesised insights, ran a playback session for feedback, and used input from this session to develop a research plan the team could carry forward.

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• A reframed problem statement and articulation of the change FairPlanet aims to create across individual, organisational, and systemic levels.
• Clearer understanding of stakeholder needs to help inform platform improvements and audience engagement.
• A proposed research plan with timeline, key questions, and methods to test assumptions and guide future decisions.
• A prototype theory of change linking FairPlanet’s daily work to specific stakeholders and its impact goals.

• A theory of change is critical for turning an ambitious mission statement into an actionable strategy.