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Feb. 18, 2008 IRE announces new fellowship awards for freelance investigative journalists Freelance journalists looking to launch investigative projects have a new source of financial support. A donor with longtime ties to IRE has given the organization more than $55,000 to promote high-quality freelance investigations. The donation was matched with $25,000 from the Challenge Fund for Journalism III, a program of the Knight, Ford, McCormick Tribune and Ethics and Excellence in Journalism foundations, to create an $80,000 endowed fund. During the IRE 2008 Conference in Miami on June 5-8, the fund will provide at least two freelance investigative journalists at least $1,000 apiece to conduct their projects. (The number and amount of awards is dependent upon how much income the fund generates.) "The freelance investigative journalist faces all of the obstacles and difficulties encountered by enterprise reporters who work in newsrooms, but they must persevere on their own," said IRE Executive Director Mark Horvit. "It's gratifying to have the opportunity to help them with their work." The 2008 award applications will be scrutinized by three experienced freelance journalists; they are ineligible for the award while serving on the committee. Starting Feb. 15, 2008, the three-member committee will accept applications from journalists who earn their living as freelancers. Deadline for applications is April 30, 2008. Committee chair Steve Weinberg said about the program, "As a freelance journalist since 1978 and as a former IRE executive director, I am acutely aware of how difficult it can be to find funding for long-term, often high-risk, projects. The generous donor, working through IRE, has alleviated that difficulty. I am grateful to him or her." Proposals will be judged in part on the breadth, significance and potential impact of the investigative project. At the request of the donor, proposals dealing with whistleblowers, business ethics and/or privacy issues will receive priority; projects involving other topics will be given serious consideration by the committee as well. The freelance projects must be published or aired primarily in U.S. outlets. Eligible journalists can download the form from the IRE Web site (www.ire.org/training/fellowships) or request the form from IRE staff member John Green via telephone (573-882-2772) or email (jgreen@ire.org). Three copies of the completed form and attachments must be sent in hard copy to this address: Freelance Journalism Award, IRE, 138 Neff Annex, Columbia, MO 65211. IRE is a nonprofit educational and professional organization of more than 4,000 journalists working to foster excellence in journalism. Founded in 1975, IRE provides extensive training and resources through seminars, publications and a thriving Web site: www.ire.org. IRE also runs the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting, a joint program of IRE and the Missouri School of Journalism. IRE has its offices at the University of Missouri. |