Be sure to read Cynthia’s Communique, a blog about communicating in today’s world, by NFPW president Cynthia Price of Virginia. Then join the discussion…
Welcome to NFPW's Resource page. This section lists grants, scholarships, fellowships and other opportunities of interest to professional communicators.
NFPW Education Grants
The NFPW Education Fund was established to fund education opportunities for NFPW members and students to broaden their knowledge and skills. It is funded through contributions.
The fund awards two types of grants:
1. Grants to help underwrite the cost of non-NFPW conferences and seminars for a limited number of applicants seeking to sharpen their professional skills
2. A grant awarded once a year to a member attending an NFPW conference for the first time
Please download these forms to apply for a grant or reimbursement:
Jonathan Safron was one of three national winners in NFPW's High School Communications Contest who traveled to San Antonio, Texas, to receive their awards, presented by the Education Fund during the conference. Jonathan is pictured here receiving his first place award in the opinion category for his piece, "Out of life's deep end." A graduate of Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Ill., he is now a freshman at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn. The judge commented, "The writer has taken the experience of a specific student to convey a universal truth. Poking fun at the professional baseball players and their maladies underscores the strength of the student with cancer in an entertaining way. Overall, the writing is sophisticated and clean -- a delightful read."
Also joining us in San Antonio were Alejandra Oliva (A&M Consolidated High School, College Station, Texas), who received honorable mention in the opinion category, and Kelsey O'Briant (Jersey Village High School, Houston, Texas), who received honorable mention in the double-truck layout category.
NFPW President Cynthia Price participated on this panel presented recently by the Jepson School for Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond in Virginia. She is Director of Communications for ChildFund International.
Environmental Reporting Fellowships for Journalists
Sponsor: Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting
Application deadline (postmark): March 29
The Metcalf Institute for Marine and Environmental Reporting has extended the deadline to March 29 for applications for the 2010-2011 Environmental Reporting Fellowships.
Metcalf’s Environmental Reporting Fellowships are offered to early-career traditionally under-represented minority journalists interested in studying marine and environmental science and furthering their environmental reporting career.
The 10-month Environmental Reporting Fellowships provide four weeks of scientific study in environmental science at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, a leading marine science research campus. Topics covered during the study month include climate change impacts, renewable energy, water quality, and ocean science, as well as special sessions for developing environmental journalism skills. With reporting assignments coordinated by Metcalf Institute, the fellows then work for nine months at one of the country's top media outlets reporting on science and the environment.
Currently pending funding, each fellowship includes a $32,000 stipend paid over 10 months, academic and journalism mentoring, and limited travel support. The Environmental Reporting Fellowships are available to U.S. citizens only. Applications may be downloaded online at www.metcalfinstitute.org and must be postmarked by March 29, 2010. Additional information may be obtained by calling the Metcalf Institute at 401-874-6211.
Community Readiness Communications:
Accurate Messages in Times of Crisis
March 25-27, 2010
Kansas State University Alumni Center
Manhattan, Kansas
Continuing worries about pandemic flu, concerns about biosecurity and terrorism threats, and daily coverage of food safety and security issues, demand that it is time to go beyond crisis reaction and simple management.
This conference aims to develop well-informed and well-trained public communicators in journalism, health and safety, public office and the military who are equipped to cover these issues on a daily basis, relate to communities about these topics, and respond efficiently and effectively during a crisis. Sessions will focus on information, planning and research, and on media preparedness by bringing together journalists, scholars, public relations experts, military specialists and public officials.
A professional is sought to write a story for a women's, leadership or social action publication on a personal leadership program offered through the foundation. In return for the story, the writer would participate in the program, a $1,795 value. Ideally the writer would fit the program's demographic target: professional woman, 40+ years, in transition, seeking a deeper purpose, etc.
Those interested may send writing samples to carolyn@mythiclives.com. For more information on the program, visit the website.
Stories on national and international current affairs, written about women and from a woman's perspective, are sought for this blog that seeks to combat the male-bias in the mainstream media. Contributors will not be paid for their submissions to this nonprofit venture. For more information, contact alimclarke@googlemail.com.
After Diane Parker, director of staffing and diversity at Associated Press, and Lily H. Li, currently with the National Association of Black Journalists, made brief welcoming speeches, the rest of the session was devoted to a Q&A with the audience.
Help a Reporter Out helps editors and reporters locate authors and other subject area experts willing to be interviewed for articles, books, blogs, and podcasts. Once you register—for free—you will receive up to 3 e-mails a day, each containing up to 10 detailed queries from reporters looking for individuals willing to be interviewed.
If you're a journalist looking for individuals to interview, visit the press page at www.helpareporter.com/press and submit your query. Your query will go out to over 10,000 publicists, small business owners, and other professionals and experts in all walks of life, increasing the chances of you finding that hard-to-find source pre-deadline.
If you're a source, simply sign up for the 3-per-day newsletter at www.helpareporter.com.
