Society for Environmental Journalism Issues RFP
The Society of Environmental Journalists is the only North American membership association of professional journalists dedicated to more and better coverage of environment-related issues. SEJ’s mission is to strengthen the quality, reach and viability of journalism across all media to advance public understanding of environmental issues.
The Society of Environmental Journalists was founded in 1990 by a small group of award-winning journalists, including reporters, editors and producers working for The Philadelphia Inquirer, USA Today, Turner Broadcasting, Minnesota Public Radio and National Geographic. Today, SEJ’s membership includes more than 1,500 journalists and academics working in every type of news media in the United States, Canada, Mexico and 43 other countries.
SEJ’s reputation for excellence, service, and integrity has been built upon three decades of annual conferences hosted by distinguished universities, scores of regional forums, unique publications, online services, workshops and training sessions, and an extensive membership network.
As a 501(c)3 non-profit educational organization, SEJ provides educational opportunities and vital support to journalists of all media who face the challenging responsibility of covering complex environmental issues.
SEJ operating and project budgets are underwritten through a combination of foundation grants based on SEJ proposals, university sponsorships of the annual conference, media company contributions, earned income from dues and fees for services (including exhibit, ad space and single use rental of the mail list/email distribution listserv) and earnings from individual gifts to the endowment fund. SEJ seeks only small grants of general support from non-media corporations and environmental advocacy groups. Lobbyists and public relations professionals are not eligible for membership in SEJ. All are welcome to subscribe to SEJournal and participate in SEJ’s annual conferences.
“Objectivity as Independence: Creating the Society of Environmental Journalists, 1989-1997,” by John Palen, provides an in-depth look at SEJ’s creation and the philosophy of its founders. His paper was presented at the national convention of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications in Baltimore, MD, in August 1998.
Scope of Work:
· Only one application per person will be accepted.
· Applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis.
· All application materials must be in English and must be submitted via the Submission Form; we cannot accept applications via mail, email or fax.
· The total amount requested cannot exceed $2500 per individual or $5000 for team or outlet applications. Please apply for the minimum budget required for success of the project. Partial funding may be offered.
· Grantees agree to report on use of funds within a year of grant payment and to return any unspent funds.
· SEJ issues FEJ grants in U.S. dollars via bank checks or EFT. If a wire transfer is required, fees will be deducted from the grant amount.
· Stories must cover climate, conservation and/or environmental health in North America.
Gather the following information for your submission (you’ll be redirected to the Submission Form after payment):
· Contact information
· Project title
· Brief summary of topic
· Publication/distribution plan
· Expected date of project completion
· Impact measurement plan
· Total amount requested, up to $2500 maximum per individual or $5000 for team/outlet grant
· Budget breakdown (stipend, contractors, other): Use our template
· A résumé of qualifications: Include links to past work (two pages maximum)
· Letter(s) of support or commitment from editor(s) or producer(s) to publish or broadcast finished work
Address:
https://www.sej.org/initiatives/fej-program-guidelines
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