professional development

May 24, 2023  The DC Open Government Coalition, in collaboration with the DC Public Library, is hosting a series of community conversations to help residents, businesses and anyone else obtain all kinds of information from the District of Columbia government.

International Center for Journalists  February 17, 2022 Elevate, ICFJ´s news business hub, is a mind-changing global program focused on helping C-level journalists who are running small and medium-sized media outlets develop their business skills so that their newsrooms can become sustainable and grow. The program is a “real-life MBA.” It is an opportunity for journalists to learn from global business executives and to receive funding, all with the purpose of taking their operations to the next level. Applications are open until March 2, 2022 (23:59 EST)

The Chronicle of Philanthropy February 11, 2022 The Chronicle of Philanthropy, an independent news organization that covers nonprofits, foundations, and others involved in advancing the social good, is launching the Philanthropy & Nonprofit Accountability Fellowship. This fellowship is part of an extensive collaboration with the Associated Press and the Conversation designed to shed light on one of the most undercovered — but crucial — sectors of American life. Our goal is to give news organizations access to the tools and training they need to write powerful stories that attract and engage more of their readers and to expand their accountability journalism across a variety of beats, both during the fellowship and over the long haul. Through this one-year fellowship, journalists at local, regional, and nonprofit news organizations will have the opportunity to work with the Chronicle of Philanthropy to develop and publish articles about the people and organizations in their regions or coverage areas that are trying to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems and improve the quality of life for all. The newsrooms selected will each receive a $15,000 stipend to subsidize the work of reporters and editors on projects for publication at their own organizations and in the Chronicle. They will also work with and learn from editors and reporters who are part of our philanthropy partnership at the Associated Press and the Conversation and with national experts who can help them improve their journalism.

National Press Foundation February 3, 2022 All-expenses paid fellowship, March 2022 to February 2023. Application deadline Feb. 6, 2022. APPLY American journalism is experiencing a severe and systemic diversity crisis, one that was foretold yet long ignored. There are simply not enough reporters and editors of color to inform, engage and accurately and fairly reflect our society. Many newsrooms have tackled urgent social issues with majority white staffs—some more successfully than others. The National Press Foundation intends to do its part to address this problem through a “Widening the Pipeline” Fellowship designed to help confront the common lament that “it’s hard to find qualified journalists of color.” NPF is committed to leveraging its resources and decades of training experience to help grow the pipeline of diverse journalists who will rise to positions of influence in America’s newsrooms. Specifically, NPF will: Recruit up to 25 young journalists for a 12-month fellowship in the leadership, in-depth reporting, data and multimedia skills they need to hold governments and corporations accountable and to advance in their newsrooms. Provide each fellow with individual coaching and mentoring. Bring fellows to Washington for training, mentoring and networking sessions with editors. Survey fellows on promotion, retention and job satisfaction. The 2022 program will build on NPF’s Paul Miller Washington Reporting and Accountability fellowships, existing partnerships, influential alumni and volunteers to support the growth of these public service-minded reporters. The application is here . Beginning in March 2022, the once-monthly training sessions will include two in-person gatherings in Washington, D.C. (unless COVID-19 guidelines mandate that all sessions be virtual). Participants must be fully vaccinated to attend in-person trainings. NPF will pay for fellows’ airfare, hotel and most meals for the two in-person trainings. The estimated time commitment for virtual trainings, including prep and homework, is five hours per month.

February 1, 2022  Nearly 90% of U.S. state legislative chambers will hold elections later this year. To help statehouse and regional reporters prepare for the contentious campaigning and bruising battles over redistricting that could affect U.S. politics for decades, the National Press Foundation will hold a week of journalism training in Austin, Texas, March 27-31. In addition to gerrymandering and voting rights, key topics will include the future of democracy, handling misinformation, copycat legislation, COVID as a public health and political issue, campaign finances, how federal stimulus money is being spent locally, and voter-motivating issues such as race and abortion. Expert instructors will help journalists with sources and nuanced background, as well as fact-checking, community engagement, accountability journalism and other skills. Application deadline is February 27.

Poynter  February 1, 2022 Apply by February 11 In partnership with The Washington Post, the Poynter Institute is looking for the next 30 journalists of color to participate in its sixth Leadership Academy for Diversity in Media. This group will join a network of 150+ graduates who regularly describe their experience in the diversity leadership academy as “life-changing.” Part of that trademark experience comes from having honest conversations about the challenges for journalists of color in management roles — with fellow journalists and leaders of color. For many participants, this transparent environment offers what they don’t always get in their daily work: understanding and opportunities to unburden and heal. The program structure and curriculum also provide participants the connections, confidence and skills to confront their challenges. Sessions are designed fresh each year to respond to industry trends, participant needs and evolving management challenges. Underscoring everything is Poynter’s expertise in leadership training and The Post’s expertise in digital innovation. Doris Truong , director of training and diversity at the Poynter Institute, and Carla Broyles , senior editor for recruitment and training at The Post, will return to lead Poynter’s 2022 program. Throughout the weeklong program, accepted applicants will have direct access to top media executives, receive practical advice on career planning and gain a deep understanding of what it takes to successfully lead today’s digital news organizations.

Student Press Law Center December 24, 2021 We’ve got a great way to get ready for Student Press Freedom Day (Feb. 24, 2022) . This year, we’re launching the Student Press Freedom Day Boot Camp – a series of four skills-building zoom workshops to help student journalists develop important skills to report on and advocate for student press freedom! Students and advisers who participate in the four central training workshops below will receive a certificate and a LinkedIn badge. Whether you can only attend a couple of these events or if you can attend all four, you’ll learn tangible skills from seasoned experts. Space is limited, click the links to register today! Op-Ed Crash Course Thursday, Jan. 13 @ 8 p.m. ET Responding to Press Freedom Threats Through Advocacy Wednesday, Jan. 26 @ 8 p.m. ET How to Tell Your Story and Be a Spokesperson for Student Press Freedom Thursday, Feb. 3 @ 8 p.m. ET Using Social Media as a Journalist & Advocate Thursday, Feb. 10 @ 8 p.m. ET Connect to this year’s theme, “Unmute Yourself”: Send us some of your best work from 2021! We’re looking for examples of great student journalism. Have you been censored? Help us understand how and when censorship happens by taking our survey. Do you have excellent photos of your student staff in action? Enter them in the Unmute Yourself! Photo Contest for the chance at a cash prize. Your photos may be featured on the SPLC website, social media, and in this newsletter! Want to host a Student Press Freedom Day event at your school? Apply now for a Student Press Freedom Day grant! Stay up to date about upcoming events, trainings and tools at StudentPressFreedom.org .

Poynter November 5, 2021 This competitive program has transformed the careers of more than 450 women in news media and tech. It is designed for women who directly manage people and are within their first 1-5 years of formal leadership experience. The application window is from Oct. 25 through Nov. 30, 2021. Now in its eighth year, the Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Media has transformed the careers of more than 450 women in news media and tech. During a week often described as overflowing with “Poynter magic,” each participant learns to manage teams more effectively, hone and communicate their strategic vision and steer their organizations toward success. But perhaps more importantly, graduates of the Poynter Academy and ONA’s partner program, the Women’s Leadership Accelerator , join a global community of support. This sisterhood is established during the program through honest, candid and often vulnerable conversations, hands-on activities, formal and informal social activities, and shared experiences. Each participant’s network expands after the program as graduates from different classes network, connect online and in person, and even mentor each other. We will once again host three women’s leadership academies , each open to 30 participants: Cohort 1: May 15-20, 2022 Cohort 2: Sept. 18-23, 2022 Cohort 3: Dec 4-9, 2022 We plan to host these programs in-person at Poynter’s campus in St. Petersburg, Florida. However, if public health guidelines require the academy to be offered completely virtually, we are confident the experience will be just as robust.

Goodman Institute for Investigative Reporting  September 28, 2021 The Leonard C. Goodman Institute for Investigative Reporting provides editorial and financial support to journalists pursuing in-depth investigative projects that align with In These Times’ mission of advancing economic, racial, social and climate justice. We offer story-specific grants for investigative features to be published in In These Times magazine and InTheseTimes.com . The Institute recognizes the tremendous amount of time and labor that goes into investigative reporting, and we are committed to compensating writers fairly for their work. Journalists whose proposals are accepted by the Institute will thus be awarded contracts in amounts up to $10,000, along with compensation for travel and other expenses incurred during reporting. Call For Proposals The Institute encourages journalists to submit story proposals for consideration. The next deadline for proposals is Monday, October 11 at midnight. While we will consider proposals on any investigative topic, at this time we are especially interested in stories that examine the following issues: Corporate capture of government The forces undermining a climate transition U.S. militarism and empire Labor practices Native issues Systemic racism We prize originality; we prioritize investigations that are unlikely to be pursued elsewhere. To submit a proposal, send an email to investigations at inthesetimes dot com with the subject line “Goodman Institute Submission.” Please include all of the following in a single Word or Google document not to exceed 1,300 words: A brief (200-300 word) summary of the issue, the new information you hope to uncover, and how you will do so Briefly, any further context needed to understand your topic Links to the most significant recent reporting and an explanation of how your findings will advance the public narrative surrounding your topic Your proposed sources and reporting plan, including any travel A brief summary of your journalistic experience, including 2-3 clips or links to previous work Formatting requirements Proposals should be in one Word or Google document, with section headings in bold and minimal special formatting. Please use 12-point Times New Roman font and single line spacing. Acceptance benchmarks The Institute aims to support and compensate reporters throughout the application and acceptance process. You will typically receive notification of whether your application is a semi-finalist within 2-3 weeks of the application deadline. Semi-finalists should expect to answer a round of follow-up questions and submit a detailed estimate of reporting expenses. The Institute offers a stipend of $200 for the additional work required. Once an application is finalized, it will be reviewed by the Institute’s selection committee. If your story is selected for a grant, you will typically be awarded a story contract of up to $10,000, intended to cover the story fee in addition to living expenses for the duration of your project. The fee will be subdivided into installments tied to deliverables, beginning with a $2,000 signing fee. The Institute will work with you to hone the scope, timeline and expectations of findings for your research plan. Once you have completed your research, the Institute will work with you on a writing plan for an investigative article for publication in In These Times magazine and/or on InTheseTimes.com. The Institute is open to considering cross-publication agreements. Instead of a story contract, some proposals may receive an initial $2,000 research contract to develop reporting. Upon completion, they will be considered for a full story contract. Reporters whose projects are not awarded a full story contract retain the rights to any research completed, but are encouraged to keep in touch about future reporting developments that may warrant further consideration. For more details, see inthesetimes.com/investigative .