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ETHICS AND EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM FOUNDATION

Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation

Contact information:
210 Park Avenue, Suite 3150
Oklahoma City, OK 73102-5604
Phone: 405-604-5388
Fax: 405-604-0297

Website: http://www.journalismfoundation.org/default.asp

Type of foundation: Independent

Types of grants: Capital campaigns, conferences/seminars, curriculum development, program development, seed money, technical assistance.

Description: The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation was established in 1982 by Edith Kinney Gaylord to support charitable and educational projects. Its mission is to invest in the future of journalism by building the ethics, skills and opportunities needed to advance principled, probing news and information.

The Foundation underwent a strategic planning process in 2008 to redefine areas of interest in order to increase its impact in grantmaking. Currently, its four funding areas are: investigative reporting, professional development, youth education and special opportunities. Particular emphasis is placed on ethics and new media within each initiative.

The Foundation supports investigative journalism initiatives nationwide. Within this area, the Foundation is particularly interested in:

  • Increasing investigative reporting and watchdog journalism on state and local issues.
  • Organizations, infrastructures, services, collaborations and business models that can help secure a future for investigative reporting and watchdog journalism.
  • Digital innovations that make data about state and local issues more available to the public.

The Foundation also supports professional development programs for journalists nationwide. In this area, the Foundation is particularly interested in:

  • Improving the credibility and impact of journalism.

  • Stimulating adherence to the highest ethical standards and practices by both traditional and new media.
  • Sustaining and encouraging more journalism that produces civic results.

  • Helping journalists make use of new tools and new outlets for their work.

  • Increasing and renewing the enthusiasm of journalists for their work.

In the area of youth education, the Foundation principally supports high school programs in Oklahoma and makes grants to undergraduate and graduate journalism programs elsewhere in the country. It has made some grants to youth media outside of Oklahoma.

Sample grants:

  • $180,728 to Center for Public Integrity, Washington, DC, for Pearl Project (2009).
  • $170,000 Radio Television Digital News Foundation, Fredericksburg, VA to provide ethical news decision-making workshops and high school student media training (2008).
  • $150,000 to the Center for Investigative Reporting to build and test a replicable model for regional news organizations to generate earned revenue (2010).
  • $145,000 to Radio Television Digital News Foundation, Fredericksburg, VA, to preserve ethical journalism standards in digital age (2009).
  • $125,000 to Investigative News Network to increase editorial collaborations, share resources, provide back-office training and develop revenue generating programs for member nonprofit journalism centers (2012).
  • $110,000 to Associated Press Managing Editors Association Foundation, New York, NY, for NewsTrain and for Online Journalism Credibility Project (2009).
  • $125,000 to Center for Public Integrity for the development of digital infrastructure for Investigative News Network, a consortium of nonprofit news organizations. The design and development of a web-based hub will serve as both a networking and story distribution platform (2010).
  • $100,000 to InvestigateWest for Pacific Northwest Network, increasing the number of media partners providing investigative and public service news coverage in the region, diversifying funding sources, and examining new strategies to support and expand journalism (2012).
  • $100,000 to Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting for website expansion, to make effective use of new technology and social networking tools and to build a wider base of financial support (2011).
  • $100,000 to InvestigateWest for production and distribution of watchdog journalism on state and regional issues through the creation of a strong, self-sustaining Pacific Northwest Network of media partners, ranging from established print and online partners to hyperlocal online sites (2010).
  • $100,000 to Fund for Investigative Journalism, Washington, DC for general operating support and a grant program for investigative projects (2009).
  • $100,000 to Paley Center for Media, New York, NY for Government, the Press and the War on Terrorism (2007).
  • $100,000 to Paley Center for Media, New York, NY for Government, the Press and the War on Terrorism (2006).
  • $100,000 to Oklahoma Educational Television Authority Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK for OETA news department digital equipment conversion (2006).
  • $88,000 to George Washington University, Washington, DC, for Kalb Report (2009).
  • $85,000 to The Lens, New Orleans, LA, to build capacity of reporting, board, staff, social media, fundraising and back-office operations. The Lens produces watchdog journalism to empower New Orleanians to advocate for accountable governance (2012).
  • $79,000 to University of California, Berkeley, CA, for multimedia training workshops (2008).
  • $75,000 to $75,000 to American University, Washington, DC, for Investigative Reporting Workshop for continued development of new approaches and new thinking for the creation and delivery of high-quality investigative journalism (2012).
  • $75,000 to Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism for general support of their efforts to create a replicable, collaborative model for local investigative journalism. WCIJ operates in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Journalism, Wisconsin Public Television and Wisconsin Public Radio (2011).
  • $75,000 to Center for Investigative Reporting, Berkeley, CA, for Cold Case Truth and Justice Project (2009).
  • $75,000 to National Association of Minority Media Executives, McLean, VA, for fundraising, consultant, member services, website, marketing and administrative support (2009).
  • $75,000 to University of Oklahoma Foundation, Norman, OK, for KGOU capital campaign (2009).
  • $75,000 to University of Oklahoma Foundation, Norman, OK, for capital campaign for KGOU (2008).
  • $60,000 to Youth News Service Los Angeles Bureau to support the development of a series of articles written by student staff on the State of California's budget, process, stakeholders and its impact on schools, libraries, parks, police departments and youth-serving organizations (2011).
  • $60,000 to Radio Television Digital News Foundation, Fredericksburg, VA, for Journalism Ethics Project (2006).
  • $56,000 to University of California, Berkeley, CA for multimedia training program for professional journalists (2009).
  • $55,000 to Carole Kneeland Project for Responsible Television Journalism, Austin, TX, for Newsroom Leadership Conference (2008).
  • $50,000 to Capitol News Connection to provide localized and interactive issue-focused investigative reporting from Congress to community public radio stations seeking in-depth coverage and to work with partners to enhance multimedia offerings and digital delivery systems (2011).
  • $50,000 to Youth News Service Los Angeles Bureau, Los Angeles, CA, for community-based teen news bureau and major investigations in high school journalism (2009).
  • $50,000 to National Public Radio, Washington, DC for the Building Local News Initiative (2006).
  • $46,000 to Florida International University Foundation, Miami, FL, to produce video and DVD copies of How a Newsroom Operates and the Role of the Press in a Democracy (2008).
  • $34,000 to University of Maryland Foundation, Adelphi, MD, for J-Lab which helps journalists and citizens use digital technologies to develop new ways for people to participate in public life with projects on innovations in journalism, citizen media, news games, interactive stories, entrepreneurship, research, training and publications (2008).
  • $30,000 to Radio Television Digital News Foundation, Fredericksburg, VA, for workshops (2007).
  • $25,000 to Society of American Business Editors and Writers for regional workshops focusing on investigative reporting for business journalists and for a program to support investigative reporting skills at small-to-mid-sized media outlets (2012).
  • $25,000 to Youth Radio, Oakland, CA, for Youth and Politics desk (2008).
  • $25,000 to Wartburg College, Waverly, IA, for equipment to fully convert WTV8 to digital format (2006).
  • $15,378 to University of the Cumberlands, Williamsburg, KY, to upgrade technology of campus radio station (2008).
  • $12,992 to Pundit Productions, Washington, DC, for Capitol News Connection for KGOU (2007).
  • $12,629 to WYPR, Baltimore, MD, for work to strengthen capacity in local news and reporting (2008).
  • $10,000 to $10,000 to WYPR, Baltimore, MD, for a year-long investigative reporting and media project about how race and class divide Baltimore (2012).

Fit for public broadcasting: This Foundation may be a fit for public media outlets that are interested in building or expanding investigative journalism initiatives, especially those focused on local or state issues. The Foundation may also be a fit for public media outlets that are interested in conducting professional development, especially around the areas of digital/online media or impact journalism.

Eligibility: The Foundation gives nationally, with some emphasis on Oklahoma. No support for international organizations, equipment purchases for youth education, book publishing, literacy programs or documentaries. No grants to individuals or for scholarships, endowments or personal research projects.

Deadline(s): Letter of inquiry deadlines are May 15th and November 15th. Letters may be submitted online beginning two months before each deadline. If invited, proposal deadlines are June 15th and December 15th.

How to apply: Interested applicants should review the guidelines. Initial approach is by online letter of inquiry. If interested, the Foundation will invite a full proposal.

Giving range: The average gift for radio/television projects is approximately $51,000. The Foundation has made gifts as high as $840,000.

Assets: $91,112,357 (FY2011).

Total giving: $3,052,124 (FY2011).

The Foundation’s annual report does not appear to be online. Recent news about the Foundation can be found here.