Institute for Public Service Reporting Receives $100K Grant from Press Forward in Competitive Field
October 16, 2024 — The Institute for Public Service Reporting at the University of Memphis has received a $100,000 grant from Press Forward to increase the quantity and quality of investigative reporting in the Memphis area and help close gaps in news coverage affecting underserved communities here.
Spread over two years, the grant positions the institute to raise its profile as a national leader in nonprofit news with a unique dual mission that includes mentoring the next generation of journalists.
“This grant comes at the perfect moment for us,’’ said Marc Perrusquia, director of the Institute for Public Service Reporting (IPSR). “We are entering our annual year-end fund drive next month and we intend to leverage this to build additional support for our work. And I’m very proud of that work. We conduct deep examinations of important and controversial matters that few other news outlets have the time or resources to address, issues involving child poverty, inequity in education, police accountability, racial injustice, government corruption, public utility policy and environmental concerns. This grant will help us continue and deepen that work.’’
Press Forward is a national movement to strengthen our democracy by revitalizing local
news and information. A coalition of funders is investing more than $500 million to
strengthen local newsrooms, close longstanding gaps in journalism coverage, advance
public policy that expands access to local news, and to scale the infrastructure the
sector needs to thrive. For more information, visit pressforward.news.
The $100,000 grant was received following a highly competitive process. Press Forward received 931 applications from news organizations nationwide and awarded grants to 205 of those applicants.
Since its founding in 2018, IPSR has raised community awareness of complex issues while also operating award-winning student mentoring programs.
As the teaching institute in the Department of Journalism and Strategic Media, IPSR operates the Otis L. Sanford Journalist Incubator, educating students from middle school to graduate school while inspiring working journalists who want to hone their skills. The incubator’s initiatives include a paid internship program, outreach to journalism students in University Middle School and High School and Civil Wrongs, a documentary-style podcast and academic course exploring racial injustice.
####
MEDIA CONTACT:
Jennifer Godwin
Director of Media and Public Relations
jennifer.godwin@memphis.edu
(O) 901.678.4822 (M) 501.529.7482