TYSONS, Va.—Tegna’s charitable foundation, the Tegna Foundation, has awarded a number of grants with the goal of promoting diversity in journalism and professional development for media professionals and students. In addition, the foundation is providing a grant of $75,000 to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press (RCFP) for its mission to protect First Amendment freedoms and newsgathering rights of local journalists.
“As the First Amendment rights of journalists are increasingly under attack, it is critical to safeguard our most basic democratic freedoms,” said Dave Lougee, president and CEO of Tegna. “And fostering greater diversity in media to better reflect the voices of the communities we serve is more important than ever, starting with the recruiting of young talent. We are proud to partner with our 2020 grantees to develop and create opportunities for the next generation of journalists.”
The special grant for RCFP is meant to help efforts for improving conditions and protecting local journalists who are covering news in what Tegna describes as an “increasingly hostile environment.” Funds will help with training and outreach measures for the protection of the legal rights of local news gatherers, as well as improving the safety of those covering protests and demonstrations.
Here are the 2020 Tegna Foundation Media Grants recipients:
- National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) for support of the Black Male Media Project and a workshop on race and journalism at the virtual 2020 NABJ/NAHJ Conference and Career Fair;
- National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) for student support and education, including for pre-conference training sessions and resources for students at the 2020 NABJ/NAHJ Conference and Career Fair;
- Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) for a specialized student educational track at the virtual AAJA Fest 2020, including mentorship opportunities and skills-building programs;
- Native American Journalists Association (NAJA) for a new program titled “Covering COVID-19 in Indian Country” that provides resources for journalists reporting on the pandemic;
- National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association (NLGJA) for scholarship support to waive registration fees for more than 75 students at the 2020 NLGJA virtual convention;
- Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) for two FOIA workshops at the 2020 IRE virtual conference; and
- Online News Association (ONA) for scholarships for students and young professionals to attend the ONA virtual conference
For more information, visit www.teganfoundation.org.
