The Society of Professional Journalists Foundation has completed its grant cycle for 2023 and is awarding more than $20,000 to other journalism foundations and not-for-profits.
The National Freedom of Information Coalition, NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists, the Bay City News Foundation and the Arizona Latino Media Association are receiving funding for programs and initiatives that closely align with the SPJ Foundation’s mission of perpetuating a free press as a cornerstone of our nation and our liberty.
“With the current journalism landscape, finding funding is especially difficult now. So, the SPJ Foundation is thrilled to support these educational programs,” said SPJ Foundation President Hagit Limor. “These programs focus on diversity and freedom of information that will help train our future leaders in the industry.”
NFOIC’s “Freedom of Information Bootcamp for Journalists of Color” provides training in acquiring and analyzing government documents and data. In addition to general skills in accessing government information, the program will partner each mentee with an expert mentor in his or her respective state, in most cases the leader of a coalition who can assist the journalist long-term in accessing government.
NLGJA’s “LGBTQ+ Newsroom Outreach Program” educates newsrooms across the United States on LGBTQ reporting standards. The program was relaunched in 2019 with the support of a grant from the SPJ Foundation but COVID-19 affected the ability to host in-person events. This funding will help reinstitute the in-person component of the program so NLGJA can travel to newsrooms to make in-person connections with journalists and answer their pressing questions about LGBTQ coverage.
The Bay City News Foundation is presenting a quarterly training series on "Unlocking Public Records in California.” The four workshops, hosted with the First Amendment Coalition, will focus on everything journalists need to know about using California's main open-records law, the California Public Records Act, to land scoops and strengthen their reporting. The presentation will be given by First Amendment Coalition Executive Director David Snyder, an open-government lawyer and former reporter for The Washington Post. The one-hour sessions will feature real-world scenarios and teachable lessons from recent cases, with opportunities for participant questions.
ALMA’s Annual High School Journalism and Multi-Media Workshop presents a free, hands-on multimedia journalism program for minority and underserved high school journalism students from throughout Arizona, New Mexico, the Navajo Nation and Hopi Tribe. The daylong workshop, held at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, includes opportunities to meet and interview newsmakers such as Arizona state legislators, U.S. Congress members and professionals from the fields of law, banking, journalism, sports and the non-profit sector.
SPJ Foundation grants primarily support SPJ and provide support to organizations and causes that further the Society’s mission. Grant requests are first reviewed by the Foundation Grants and Awards Committee and then their recommendations are sent to the SPJ Foundation Board of Directors for review and selection.
View previous recipients.
About the Society of Professional Journalists Foundation:
The Society of Professional Journalists Foundation is a public foundation dedicated to ensuring that those who carry on the tradition of a free press are prepared for the challenge. The SPJ Foundation supports educational and professional needs of journalists and journalism students. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Give to the SPJ Foundation.
SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to informing citizens; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and fights to protect First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. Support excellent journalism and fight for your right to know. Become a member, give to the Legal Defense Fund or give to the SPJ Foundation.
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