IRE's Endowment Fund
The goal of our ongoing fundraising efforts is to ensure that IRE’s independent voice, innovative training, resource library and vast array of networking possibilities for journalists continue well into the 21st century. IRE offers quality education and guidance for reporters, editors, producers, journalism faculty and students, and independent journalists through our resources and services; these have upheld the highest of professional standards since our inception in 1971. With your help, they will continue to instill a passion for public service journalism.
We need the help of every dedicated journalist to continue our vital work. If you have ever attended an IRE event, whether a conference, watchdog workshop or customized training, you know we charge the lowest fees of any journalism organization our size. Our membership fees also remain affordable, and the benefits afforded to members continue to grow. It is impossible to stress enough how important maintaining a robust endowment is to keep all of our fees manageable and affordable.
When you contribute to our endowment, you may designate that your gift be applied to the General Fund, which allows IRE to use endowment income where it is needed most (for operating expenses) or choose a specific fund – a list of the ones available is below.
For more information, please contact Alan Lynes, IRE's development officer, at 573-884-2222 or alan@ire.org.
Endowment Funds
When you give to the endowment, you may designate that your gift be applied to the General Fund, which allows IRE to use endowment income where it is needed most within a given year, or choose one of the funds listed below. To give to the endowment, please go to our contributions page.
- Freedom of Information Initiative Fund: supports IRE's efforts in training, research, publications regarding state open records laws and the Freedom-of-Information Act.
- Minority Development Fund: IRE is dedicated to increasing diversity in investigative journalism. Gifts to this fund go toward minority fellowships to IRE conferences, seminars and workshops.
- Jack Anderson Fellowship Fund: supports annual fellowships to send young journalists to IRE conferences and workshops. The fund was established by friends and colleagues of the award-winning journalist to honor his memory and strong commitment to investigative journalism.
- James Richard Bennett Scholarship Fund: allows a limited number of college students in Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma or Louisiana to attend IRE's annual conference. The scholarships are made possible by a donation to IRE by Dr. James R. Bennett, professor emeritus of English, University of Arkansas.
- David Dietz Fund: honors the memory of long time member and former IRE board president. This fund creates a fellowship to send a business reporter to IRE's annual conference.
- Robert W. Greene Fellowship Fund for Young Journalists: the fund, created with Bob Greene's approval and guidance, is intended to support young journalists who want to attend IRE conferences, seminars and other training.
- Brant Houston International Journalism Fund: Created by the IRE board and staff to honor Houston’s many years of service to IRE, including 10 as executive director. The fund supports IRE's efforts to foster excellence in global investigative reporting.
- Brent Johnson Fund: in memory of Brent, who was an exceptional student at the Missouri School of Journalism and IRE. The fund supports a graduate research assistant for The IRE Journal.
- Jennifer Leonard Scholarship Fund: created by IRE member David Cay Johnston ofThe New York Times to honor his wife, the president of the Rochester Area Community Foundation and a national leader in promoting ethical standards for endowments. The scholarships will go to women of modest means who are journalism students or have less than three years of work experience, allowing them to attend IRE conferences or NICAR training seminars.
- Ottaway Family Fund:This fund, established by David Ottaway and the Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation, supports the Ottaway minority fellowship program. The Ottaway fellowships allow a limited number of professional journalists to attend IRE's week-long Computer-Assisted Reporting (CAR) Boot Camp series and are aimed at increasing the diversity of IRE's membership.
- Eugene S. Pulliam Fund for IRE's Resource Center: This fund supports IRE's Resource Center, a rich reserve of print, broadcast and online stories, tipsheets and guides to help journalists start and complete the best work of their careers. The fund was created with an original gift from the Jane Pulliam Trust.
- Greg Reeves Memorial Fund: This project supports a graduate student assistantship in the IRE and NICAR Database Library. It honors Kansas City Star reporter Greg Reeves, a computer-assisted reporting pioneer and long-time IRE member, who died of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in 2007. The memorial fund was created by former colleagues Mike McGraw of The Kansas City Star and IRE Executive Director Brant Houston.
- Tom Renner Award Fund: supports the annual Tom Renner award, honoring outstanding crime reporting as part of the annual IRE awards.
- Godfrey Wells Stancill Fellowship Fund: in memory of Godfrey Wells Stancill, former editor and publisher of the Suffolk News-Herald and father of IRE board member Nancy Stancill. The fund supports an annual small-news fellowship to IRE's annual conference.
- Fund for Freelance Journalists: Donations to this fund will help support annual fellowships to freelance journalists working on investigative projects. Applications for the fellowships are due on April 30th each year, and fellows will be announced at the IRE Conference.
Other Funds
- Donors may create endowments for fellowships, technology, research, training seminars and other purposes. For more information, please contact IRE's development officer Alan Lynes at 573-884-2222 or alan@ire.org.