The International Women's Media Foundation is offering three $20K grants to women-run digital media startups. Application deadline March 2. Details below. -Mia
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Women Entrepreneurs in the Digital Media Frontier: Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the purpose of the grant?
The Women Entrepreneurs in the Digital News Frontier grant program is designed to diversify the emerging digital news media landscape by expanding the voice and role of women entrepreneurs. In addition to seed funding, grantees will receive pro-bono coaching, and will participate in a monthly call series featuring leading entrepreneurs and digital news media experts.
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2. What is the award amount, and how is it funded?
The IWMF will award three $20,000 grants to women journalists who aspire to be digital news media entrepreneurs. This initiative is made possible with generous support from the Ford Foundation.
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3. What are the application criteria?
Applicants must be U.S.-based women journalists (full-time, part-time or freelance women news media professionals are eligible).
Applicants must propose a new digital news media enterprise that has not yet launched – and that will not launch before the IWMF announces the winners in April, 2012 – that uses digital media in innovative ways to deliver the news.
Applicants must include a business plan summary that demonstrates sustainability after initial funding has ended.
Applicants must demonstrate how their project advances women in the field of news media.
Personal blogs and documentary projects will not be considered.
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4. What is the application and selection timeline?
Applications will be accepted from January 31 – March 2, 2012 (deadline is midnight EST). Late applications will not be accepted. Winners will be notified in April 2012.
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5. How do I apply?
Click here to access the application form. Please note that you must complete all required fields (denoted by red asterisks) to successfully submit your application. There is no option to save an incomplete application and return to it later, or to review a completed application after it has been submitted, so applicants are strongly advised to review the application questions below and prepare and save their responses in a separate document for their records.
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6. What are the application questions?
Succinctly describe your background in journalism, including career highlights.
What is the name of your proposed digital news media concept?
What is your concept for a digital news media enterprise?
What makes your proposed digital news media enterprise innovative? What unique need does it address?
How will your digital news media enterprise further the role of women in news media?
What benchmarks will you use to measure the success of your digital news media enterprise within the first year of launching it?
How many people will be involved in your digital news media enterprise, and in what capacity? Please list any team members with a brief summary of their qualifications.
What business partnerships, if any, will you pursue?
What type of business or other training have you had that will contribute to your ability to successfully launch and sustain your proposed digital news media enterprise?
IWMF's grantees receive pro-bono coaching as a component of this program. What specific topics would be most valuable to your development as an entrepreneur?
What revenue generation strategies do you plan to put in place to ensure that your digital news media enterprise is financially sustainable? Please include any funding you have already secured for this enterprise.
If relevant, include an assessment of your competition.
If you have developed a business plan for your proposed digital news media enterprise, please include a summary here.
How would a $20,000 grant from the IWMF impact you as a woman entrepreneur in the digital news frontier?
Provide three professional references. Include reference name, title, organization, primary phone number, and email.
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7. How will I be notified of my application status?
Due to the high volume of applications received, only finalists will be contacted.
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8. Who can I contact if I am having difficulty submitting an application?
Please email newmediagrants[at]iwmf.org with any questions related to the application, including difficulty submitting an application.