Over the next three weeks, John Bracken (@jsb), Raina Kumra (@rainakumra) and I (@cksopher) will host events in 21 cities to talk about and brainstorm around the theme of our next Knight News Challenge: Health.

Our contest question is “how might we harness data and public information for the health of communities?” We’re hoping to meet innovators and entrepreneurs working on this question, and to spread the word about the opportunity for breakthrough ideas to get a share of $2 million in funding. We’ve found that the contest is a great way to get a conversation going—or continue one that’s already started locally—about what we can do together in our communities to make them stronger and better informed.

You’ll also have a chance to talk with some of our collaborators, who will join us for some of the events. We’ve teamed up with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Health Data Consortium, the California Healthcare Foundation and the Clinton Health Matters Initiative.

The contest launches Aug. 19 with the opening of the “inspiration phase,” and entries will be accepted from Sept. 3 to Sept. 17 at newschallenge.org. Meanwhile, you can learn more in person during our tour, or during virtual office hours, which will be held Sept. 5 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET and Sept. 10 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. ET. You can access the meeting here (ID 752 815 136), or participate via phone at 888.240.2560.

You can register for one of the events at the Eventbrite links below. Hope to see you soon!

Akron, Ohio 8/20/2013
Boston, Mass. 9/12/2013
Charlotte, N.C. 8/20/2013
Chicago, Ill. 9/6/2013
Cleveland, Ohio 8/20/2013
Columbia, S.C. 8/20/2013 (e-mail me if you’re interested)
Detroit 9/10/2013
Lexington, KY 8/22/2013
Long Beach, Calif. 9/3/2013
Los Angeles, Calif. 9/4/2013
Louisville, Ky. 8/24/2013
Madison, Wis. 9/11/2013
Miami, Fla. 8/29/2013
New York, N.Y. 9/3/2013
Philadelphia, Pa. 9/11/2013
San Diego, Calif. 9/3/2013
San Francisco, Calif. 9/4/2013
San Jose, Calif. 9/5/2013
St. Paul, Minn. 9/12/2013
Washington, D.C. 9/10/2013 (This has been updated to a new day; we’ll hold a single event for D.C. and Balitmore)

By Chris Sopher, journalism program associate at Knight Foundation

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