Announcing the 2025 Microgrant recipients
We're excited to announce today the recipients of this year’s microgrants! Over the last several years, Reporting on Addiction has worked to support journalists investigating opioid settlement funds, and these microgrants will further support that work in Kentucky, Maine and New Jersey.
This year’s recipients are Allyson Dix of the Barren County Progress in Kentucky, Emily Bader of The Maine Monitor and New Jersey independent multimedia journalist Taylor Jung who will be working with New Jersey Urban News. All three will be working to track opioid settlement spending in their communities, holding public officials accountable for the decisions they’re making to use these critical funds.
At Reporting on Addiction, we are committed to supporting journalists in the exploration of addiction, treatment and recovery through reporting that reduces stigma in their communities. We are excited to support these journalists through these microgrants and are grateful to people like you who believe in Reporting on Addiction’s mission.
Funding for these grants is provided in part by Open Society Foundations.
2025 Microgrants Recipients
Emily Bader, The Maine Monitor, Maine
Emily Bader is a health care reporter for The Maine Monitor where she covers substance use, mental health and access to care. She is passionate about combining data and human voices to tell powerful stories about how these issues affect Mainers’ everyday lives, how communities are seeking solutions and in serving as a watchdog on decision-makers. In 2024, she was a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation Health Coverage Fellow and a Reporting on Addiction grantee.
Prior to joining The Monitor in 2023, Emily was a reporter for three years at Maine papers covering health care and local news. She was a USC Center for Health Journalism Data Fellow in 2021, the same year she was named best young journalist by the Maine Press Association.
Allyson Dix, The Barren County Progress, Kentucky
Allyson began her journalism career in 2018 as a freelance reporter, driven by a passion for community storytelling and accountability reporting. Her dedication and eye for impactful stories eventually led her to her current role as managing editor of the Barren County Progress, where she oversees editorial content and continues to report on key local issues.
Over the past two years, Allyson has earned multiple awards from the Kentucky Press Association (KPA), including a second-place honor for investigative reporting. That story traced the roots of a local county government’s non-compliance with FEMA regulations — an in-depth piece that highlighted her ability to connect complex details and deep dive into the complexities of intergovernmental accountability.
Although her academic background isn’t rooted in journalism, Allyson holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Services and Counseling, which has contributed to her strong research and communication skills. Her work reflects a deep belief in the role of local journalism to inform the public, expose wrongdoing, and strengthen the communities it serves.
Taylor Jung, New Jersey Urban News, New Jersey
Taylor Jung is an independent multimedia journalist focused on illuminating critical socioeconomic issues and fostering connections with the communities she covers.
She was the social justice reporter for NJ Spotlight News from 2021 to 2025, where she covered civil rights, criminal justice, immigration, and politics. Her previous reporting can also be found in the New Jersey Monitor and on WNYC airwaves.
She is a Columbia Journalism School graduate and a proud member of the Asian American Journalists Association.
