Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation Announces $1.37 Million in Awards

OKLAHOMA CITY — Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation (EEJF) announced today the distribution of $1.37 million in grants to 17 journalism organizations nationwide.

Founded by Edith Kinney Gaylord, Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation’s mission is to invest in the future of journalism by building the ethics, skills and opportunities needed to advance principled, probing news and information.

“As non-profit investigative news matures, we are excited about the quality of work produced by our grantees,” said Bob Ross, President and CEO of Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation. “Vital stories are increasing awareness and empowering citizens in local and state communities to make informed decisions.”

The following grants were awarded to organizations for projects addressing the foundation’s core areas of focus:

Investigative Reporting

• $250,000 to Oklahoma Watch, an investigative and in-depth reporting team that collaborates with other news organizations and higher education to produce journalism that makes a difference in the lives of Oklahomans.
• $75,000 to Fund for Investigative Journalism for grants to independent investigative reporters.
• $75,000 to I-News at Rocky Mountain PBS for growing a sustainable membership.
• $75,000 to Investigative Newsource for general support of data-driven, investigative stories that make a tangible difference in the San Diego region and beyond.
• $75,000 to Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism for general support of Iowa Watch and efforts to build capacity and diversify revenue.
• $75,000 to The Lens to expand and increase community dialogue about key reporting areas: land use, criminal justice, education, the environment and government and politics.
• $75,000 to Vermont Journalism Trust to hire reporters to cover the two counties in Southern Vermont.
• $75,000 to Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism to promote journalistic ethics, financial transparency and education of University of Wisconsin-Madison students.
• $50,000 to Carolina Public Press for general support of investigative reporting in Appalachia.
• $50,000 to FairWarning to produce strong watchdog journalism in the public interest, expand readership and broaden financial base.

Oklahoma Journalism

• $95,000 to University of Oklahoma for the Oklahoma Scholastic Media Initiative, providing grants to high schools starting or improving online newspapers.
• $25,000 to University of Oklahoma for the Oklahoma Institute for Diversity in Journalism, a workshop at OU for promising minority and underrepresented high school students with the goal of introducing youths to careers in journalism.

Professional Development

• $100,000 to Investigative Reporters and Editors for Better Watchdog Workshops, arming journalists with tools to hold government and business accountable.

Special Opportunities

• $100,000 to Online News Association for the Challenge Fund for Innovation in Journalism Education, providing micro-grants to fund journalism/community news experiments.
• $85,000 to Student Press Law Center for the Attorney Advocate Program, providing free legal “hotline” assistance to journalism students and teachers nationwide.
• $50,000 to Georgia State University for Georgia News Lab, an investigative reporting collaborative of four college journalism programs and two news outlets, dedicated to increasing diversity in newsrooms.
• $40,000 to Fund for American Studies for the Institute on Political Journalism, introducing aspiring college journalists to the principles of free market economics and ethics while providing practical experience in politcal journalism.

To learn more about projects funded by Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation visit http://inasmuchfoundation.org/category/eejf/ or call 405-604-5388.