Reporting stipends now available to examine digital divide, solutions for New Jersey students
Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University will offer 15 awards of $1,500 each to local journalists
The digital divide has made virtual learning difficult to impossible for thousands of students around New Jersey throughout the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, as schools closed and delivered instruction online. Students without consistent Internet access or proper computer equipment at home have struggled.
To enable additional reporting on how the digital divide is affecting New Jersey’s K-12 students and what solutions could help, the Center for Cooperative Media at Montclair State University is pleased to offer reporting awards to 15 news organizations or freelance journalists in the state. Selected awardees will be given $1,500 to support their pursuit of at least two written stories with images, or one video or audio package.
These awards from the Center are supported by funding from the New Jersey Children’s Foundation.
We are especially interested in seeing stories in the following cities:
- Atlantic City
- Camden
- East Orange
- Irvington
- Jersey City
- New Brunswick
- Newark
- Orange
- Paterson
- Plainfield
- Trenton
Use the form below to apply for a reporting award. Applications will be judged using a scoring rubric with weighted objective and subjective criteria. The objective scoring will favor New Jersey-based organizations and freelancers, stories from one of the preferred cities, applicants who identify as part of an underrepresented or marginalized group, and applicants who identify as having a high financial need. The subjective scoring, done by an outside panel of judges, will assess how well the story pitches address issues and solutions relating to the digital divide, its potential impact and the overall strength of the application.
The external judges include John Mooney, co-founder of NJ Spotlight News and longtime education reporter; Rann Miller, a freelance writer, a Ph.D. candidate and a director for a school district afterschool and summer program; and Tara George, associate professor at the School of Communication and head of the journalism and television/digital media program at Montclair State University.
The application process opens today, Jan. 7, 2021, and will close on Friday, Jan. 29, 2021 at 5 p.m. ET. All submissions will be scored the following week and the Center intends to notify awardees around Feb. 1, 2021. The stipends will be distributed in February and all stories should be published or broadcast by Friday, April 2, 2021.
Click here or click on the button below to begin the application process, and make sure to check the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section below if you need clarification on anything related to the application and award process. If your question isn’t answered in the FAQs, let us know: email info@centerforcooperativemedia.org.
Frequently asked questions
What if I need more than $1,500 for my stories?
We wish we could fund you for lots of stories! But every grant has its limits and for this, we have portioned off $1,500 for 15 individuals. However, please let us know about your financial limitations in the last field of the application. If we get too few applicants or applicants with similar story ideas, we might be able to create some flexibility.
Are there limitations on what the funding may be used for?
Yes, there are some limitations, but not many. The funding must be used to directly support execution of the proposed reporting project. That can include covering costs related to staffing, acquisition of data, software, printing or other creation of physical artifacts, events, travel or a variety of other similar direct costs. The funding can not be used for lobbying efforts, to directly influence legislation, to influence the outcome of a public election or to carry on a voter registration drive. If you have any more questions about this, the Center’s staff is happy to discuss your concerns.
How quickly will we get the funding?
We intend to notify awardees around Feb. 1, 2021. At that time you’ll be asked to supply additional documentation, including a W-9 for the organization(s) that will receive the funding. After your paperwork is complete, your funding should arrive within 30 days.
Will you pay the award to me or my news organization?
That is up to you and your news organization, if you work for one.
Can you disburse money to multiple people, or will only one be expected to receive and then further distribute the money?
We can divide up and disburse the funding to multiple people, if that makes things easier for you. Please note that on the application in the last field.
What if I don’t feel comfortable sharing my story idea with you?
Journalists are competitive, and we know that story subjects can be very sensitive especially around topics such as this. However, we do need to understand the general story you are aiming to do. We won’t ask you to divulge sources ahead of time, but we do need to know what you plan to cover. The only people who will see your submission are select Center staff and the three external judges.
What if my story changes after I start reporting it?
We would be surprised if your story didn’t change after you started reporting it! That’s the nature of journalism. It is expected. But if your story changes so much so that it’s no longer about the digital divide facing New Jersey students and solutions to solving lack of access to technology, then you’ll need to let us know and you may need to return the award.
Will you edit my story?
No, unfortunately, the Center will not be involved at all with any part of the editorial process. The work will be completely owned by you and/or the news organization you work for. Once you’ve published or broadcast, we’re happy to promote your work by sharing a link to it in our newsletters and on social media.
Do I have to be a nonprofit to receive the award?
No, you do not.
Can I put in applications for multiple stories?
Yes, if you have multiple story ideas, it’s better to input them each as their own entry rather than one entry with a lot of ideas. This will help when it comes time to put your entry against the scoring rubric.
Could I get more than one award?
At this time we intend to award one stipend per person.
If I work for a news organization, can me and members of my team all apply to work on the same story together?
Yes, you can.
What if our project won’t be complete by April 2, 2021?
Your project must at least begin to be publicly published, broadcast, streamed or otherwise disseminated by April 2, 2021.
What happens if my story falls through?
This is an unfortunate reality when you’re a journalist! If your story needs to change slightly, let us know. But if keeping the focus on the digital divide becomes infeasible or you make a major change, you may be asked to return the money and the Center will award it to another applicant.
Hey! I have a question you didn’t answer here.
Sorry about that! Email us at info@centerforcooperativemedia.org.
Stefanie Murray is director of the Center for Cooperative Media. Contact her at murrayst@montclair.edu.
About the Center for Cooperative Media: The Center is a grant-funded program of the School of Communication and Media at Montclair State University. Its mission is to grow and strengthen local journalism, and in doing so serve New Jersey residents. The Center is supported with funding from Montclair State University, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Democracy Fund, the New Jersey Local News Lab (a partnership of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, Democracy Fund, and Community Foundation of New Jersey), and the Abrams Foundation. For more information, visit CenterforCooperativeMedia.org.
