News Release: Uncharted Journalism Fund now accepting applications
A new, citizen-powered action to support innovative reporting in BC launches
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 8, 2016
Vancouver, B.C. — The Uncharted Journalism Fund is now accepting applications for its inaugural grant to encourage adventurous journalism initiatives in or about British Columbia.
Founded and supported by a small group of private citizens concerned about the shrinking state of journalism yet excited about possibilities of new media and technologies, the fund plans to issue grants of up to $3,000, in whole or in part, four times per year.
“It’s a people-powered journalism fund that will make small grants to directly support experimental and enterprising reporting projects,” said Phillip Smith, who proposed the idea in May and went in search of co-founders.
Successful applicants could be traditional reporters with an important scoop but without the resources to pursue it. The grant could be used to pay for all or part of a larger investigation, from offsetting costs or learning new skills to paying for travel to remote regions.
Successful applicants could also be those with innovative ideas for the publishing or distribution of written stories, video or audio, data analysis and visualizations, and so on.
Said Smith: “Need a drone to capture hard-to-get aerial footage? A projector to blast a thought-provoking story on the side of a wall in a public space? Want to research that idea for blockchains, bitcoins and the distribution of news?”
“In short, we are hoping to support innovation in form, content, delivery, research or innovation. As you can see, the set of criteria is broad. We don’t want to be too prescriptive. We want to be surprised. Surprise us.”
Where does the money come from?
The money comes directly from a “board of trustees” — seven individuals who have committed to support the fund financially for a year at $100/month per trustee. These individuals will meet in person every three months, review the proposals, select a project to fund, and then present the grant at a public event celebrating past and current grant applicants and recipients.
This will generate approximately $12,000 annually to invest.
“That may not seem like much at first,” said Smith, “but it’s a start.”
The trustees come from a variety of media or communications-related backgrounds. See full list below.
In order to grow the fund, Uncharted Journalism is actively seeking new trustees. Interested potential trustees can apply online: https://unchartedjournalism.typeform.com/to/q0OKrJ
Who is eligible for a grant?
Grant applicants need not be be journalists. Academics and researchers are equally as encouraged to apply, as are creative citizens. Submissions will be judged on their innovative, exciting, or under-reported value as well as their ability to communicate a story and/or deliver a product or idea.
The grant is eligible to individuals and groups in B.C. Individuals and groups outside of B.C. but with strong ties to it, or proposing projects that deal with issues directly facing British Columbians, will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
Projects or stories funded by this grant can be published or sold to any media outlet. While results may be presented or described in some form on the Uncharted Journalism site, this initiative is not intended to be a proprietary publication.
Why this? Why now?
Journalism is in crisis, not just in Canada but globally. The loss of traditional revenue streams, the concentration of ownership and downsizing of newsrooms — it’s the perfect storm. Important stories are being missed or marginalized; news releases, unchallenged.
At the same time, the shift to digital platforms and the ubiquity of personal media technologies points the way to exciting, democratic possibilities. The trustees of the Uncharted Journalism Fund want to harness the power of collective action to help, in some small way, usher in a future with tools that benefit communities rather than dehumanize and isolate.
How to apply
Fill out this grant application form.
(https://unchartedjournalism.typeform.com/to/Zw9ASZ)
Deadline: Oct. 28, 2016, midnight
First grant: December/January
Trustees
Chet Woodside
Phillip Smith
Alex Samur
Giselle Portenier
Erin Millar
Geoff D’Auria
David Beers
Contributors
Stuart Sutton-Jones
Advisors
John F. Gray
Jennifer Moreau
Contact
To learn more about this initiative, contact:
Phillip Smith
ps@phillipadsmith.com
+1 647 290 4608
To receive updates on application dates and grant recipients, follow the Uncharted Journalism Fund on Medium, TinyLetter, or Twitter.
