Philip L. Graham Fund
Contact information:
c/o The Washington Post Company
1150 Fifteenth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20071
Phone: 202-334-6640
Fax: 202-334-4498
Website: http://www.plgrahamfund.org
Type of foundation: Independent
Types of grants: Capital, operating, program. The Fund prefers to support one-time capital expense requests rather than general operating or program support. Multiyear grants are rarely awarded.
Description: Established in 1963, the Fund is named in memory of Philip L. Graham, who was publisher of The Washington Post from 1946 to 1961 and president of The Washington Post Company from 1947 to 1963. The Fund's assets come from Philip Graham's widow, the late Katharine Meyer Graham, his friends, and The Washington Post Company. The Fund's supports organizations that contribute to the betterment of the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and to activities that foster improvements in the fields of journalism and communications.
Grants are awarded across five interest areas, including:
- Arts & Humanities
- Community Endeavors
- Education
- Health & Human Services
- Journalism & Communications
The focus of the Fund's Journalism & Communications giving area is on supporting organizations that work to advance broad professional goals in the field of journalism. Grants in this area are made outside of the Washington metropolitan area, as well as within it.
Sample grants:
- $200,000 to WETA for digital editing equipment needed to produce local programs and underwriting credits for high-definition broadcasting (2007).
- $100,000 over 2 years to the Robert C. Maynard Institute for Journalism Education (California) to support core editing and management training programs (2007).
- $30,000 to the International Center for Journalists (Missouri) to support infrastructure costs and technical development for ICFJ's distance-learning and online courses (2009).
- $25,000 to Investigative Reporters and Editors to fund technology equipment and capital needs (2009).
- $25,000 to the News Literacy Project to support the growth of its programs in DC and nationwide (2009).
- $25,000 to UNITY Journalists of Color to underwrite the Advanced Leadership Seminar at the 2008 national conference in Chicago (2008).
- $20,000 to Student Press Law Center to expand the main website and create a new student-focused website (2009).
- $20,000 to American Society of Newspaper Editors Foundation for support of a Diversity Leadership Institute for editors (2009).
- $20,000 to Asian American Journalists Association for equipment to support training programs for high school and college students (2008).
Fit for public broadcasting: The Fund is a good fit for media organizations that either serve the Washington, DC metropolitan area or support training and other quality improvements in the field of journalism.
Eligibility: Applicants must have 501(c)(3) status. The Philip L. Graham Fund awards grants to organizations located in Washington, DC and the surrounding area. Specifically, giving is directed toward organizations in fifteen jurisdictions. See the list of jurisdictions. Media grants are given nationally.
The Fund does not support:
- Individuals
- Membership organizations
- Organizations that have received a grant from the Fund in the previous three years
- Production of films or publications
- Advocacy or litigation
- Research
- Endowments
- Special events, conferences, workshops, or seminars
- Travel expenses
- Annual giving campaigns, benefits, or sponsorships
- Courtesy advertising
Deadline: The Fund's 2010 LOI deadlines are:
- April 1
- July 15
- December 7
How to apply:
- Submit an online letter of inquiry.
- A link to the online application system will be made available two weeks prior to each letter of inquiry deadline.
- Read about the information required in the letter of inquiry.
- If a request for funding is denied, organizations must wait at least one year before submitting another proposal.
Giving range: Up to $200,000. Most grants are $50,000 or below.
Assets: $82,288,278 (2008)
Total giving: $4,896,500 (2008)
