National Press Foundation
The National Press Foundation[1] is a nonprofit journalism training organization. It educates journalists on complex issues and trains them in reporting tools and techniques. It recognizes and encourages excellence in journalism through its awards.
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Abbreviation | NPF |
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Formation | August 5, 1975 |
Type | NGO |
Legal status | Foundation |
Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Region served | United States |
President and COO | Sonni Efron |
Staff | 6 |
Website | www |
Since 1976, the 501(c)(3) foundation has provided in-person and online professional development for thousands of editors, producers and reporters around the world, at no cost to them or their news organizations. NPF brings journalists together with leading authorities to help them better understand and explain science, technology, economics, politics, disinformation, health issues and the effects of public policy. All NPF programs are free and on the record. The content is posted on its website[2] for the benefit of journalists and other audiences around the world. NPF programs are held in Washington, D.C., and other U.S. and international cities. It has recently produced trainings on vaccine development,[3] poverty and inequality in America, international trade and the 2020 election.
NPF is run by and for journalists. Its mission is to “make good journalists better.”
Awards
In 1984, NPF created its first award to honor Sol Taishoff, the late founder of Broadcasting Magazine. The foundation now offers a slate of journalism awards[4] to celebrate work that represents the highest standards of journalism.[5] NPF awards are made by a vote of individual committees and ratified by the board of directors. They include:
- Clifford K. and James T. Berryman Award for Editorial Cartooning
- Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year Award
- Chairman’s Citation — issued at the discretion of the board chair
- Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress
- The Feddie Reporting Award — for coverage of the impact of federal rules and regulations on local communities
- Hinrich Foundation Award for Distinguished Reporting on Trade
- Innovative Storytelling Award
- W.M. Kiplinger Distinguished Contributions to Journalism Award
- Carolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health Reporting
History and Leadership
The National Press Foundation was incorporated[7] in the District of Columbia on Aug. 5, 1975, as part of the National Press Club. In 1980, under the leadership of Donald R. Larrabee, it became an independent organization. Its first educational program was a 1981 conference at Princeton University aimed at improving business and economics reporting, held at a time when journalism schools had few programs to prepare business writers. NPF expanded to offer training programs on other topics around the United States, as well as internationally. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, NPF began offering its training online.
The president and COO is Sonni Efron.[8] The chairman of the board is Donna Leinwand Leger. Past presidents of NPF include Sandy K. Johnson, Bob Meyers, Robert Alden, Frank Aukofer, Joseph Slevin, and David Yount, all former journalists.
2020 Training
Notable Briefings:
- Global Trade: A Pandemic Primer[9]
- Poverty and Inequality in America 2020[10]
- Election 2020
- COVID-19 and Homelessness
- Tracking COVID-19 Misinformation and Disinformation
- COVID-19 and Suicide
- COVID-19 and Rural Mental Health: Through the Cracks
Fellowships:
Current NPF Board of Directors
NPF is governed by a volunteer board of directors. The current chair of the board is Donna Leinwand Leger of DC Media Strategies LLC.
Executive Committee
Chair: Donna Leinwand Leger, President and Founder, DC Media Strategies LLC
Secretary: Amos Snead, Executive Vice President, Adfero
Treasurer: Jon Sawyer, Executive Director, Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting
Immediate Past Chair: Kathy Gest, Public Affairs Consultant
Jim Brady, CEO and Founder, Spirited Media Inc.
Kevin M. Goldberg, Vice President, Legal, Digital Media Association
Tom Rosenstiel, Executive Director, American Press Institute
Board
Jeffrey Birnbaum, President, BGR Public Relations
Catalina Camia, Editor and Vice President, CQ Roll Call
Peter Cherukuri, Vice President and General Manager for Political and Public Affairs Partnerships, Altice News
Heather C. Dahl, CEO, Sovrin Foundation
Tom Davidson, Director, Product Design, Gannett Product
Rafael Lorente, Associate Dean, Director of the Master’s Program, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland
Sudeep Reddy, Managing Editor, Politico
Charles Self, President, 227 International LLC
Adam Sharp, President and CEO, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Susan Swain, President and Co-CEO, C-SPAN
Robyn Tomlin, Executive Editor, Carolinas Regional Editor, The News & Observer & The Herald-Sun, McClatchy
Julie Triolo, Vice President of Product Marketing, WarnerMedia
John Walcott, Adjunct Professor, Georgetown University School of Foreign Service; Contributing Editor, Time
Current Donors
NPF is funded by sponsors of individual training programs, an annual awards dinner and an endowment. Sponsors include media organizations, foundations, corporations and individuals.
Some of NPF’s current funders include Arnold Ventures, the Hinrich Foundation, the David & Lucile Packard Foundation, Fondation Ipsen, Bayer, the Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, Heising-Simons Foundation, American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Addiction Medicine and Honda. A full list of NPF funders can be found here.[11]
Editorial Independence
NPF is solely responsible for the content of its training. Details on guidelines for NPF sponsorship can be found here.
Studio Works | The Evelyn Y. Davis Studio
With a grant from Evelyn Y. Davis and The Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation, the National Press Foundation built a broadcast studio in 2014. NPF produces online training from the studio and makes it available for rental.[12]
References
- "National Press Foundation". National Press Foundation. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
- "National Press Foundation". National Press Foundation. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
- "Vaccines Archives". National Press Foundation. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
- "National Press Foundation Awards Dinner, Part 1 | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
- "National Press Foundation hosts journalism contest [US]". International Journalists' Network. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
- "National Press Foundation". The Economist. 2020-10-29. ISSN 0013-0613. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
- "About NPF". National Press Foundation. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
- Foundation, National Press. "National Press Foundation Selects New President". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
- Swanson, Ana; Bradsher, Keith (2020-07-25). "Once a Source of U.S.-China Tension, Trade Emerges as an Area of Calm". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
- Roberts, Nicole F. "5 Ways Trauma And Poverty Affect Childhood Development". Forbes. Retrieved 2020-11-20.
- "Sponsor Us". National Press Foundation. Retrieved 2020-11-16.
- "Studio". National Press Foundation. Retrieved 2020-11-20.