Last week to apply for free Total Newsroom Training

Time is running out for your chance to get free investigative training for your newsroom. The deadline to apply for Total Newsroom Training from IRE is by the end of the day on Friday, Feb. 22. 

TNT is meant to reach organizations that are hungry for customized investigative training but can't afford it. Training is tailored to the needs of your newsroom and is designed to increase your ability to provide watchdog and enterprise coverage for your community and to produce work that can lead to changes and improvements in those communities.

Custom sessions can include hands-on training using spreadsheets with Microsoft Excel and doing data analysis using Microsoft Access and other database management software. TNT presentations and discussions may include:

IRE works with reporters and editors to help them launch stories and projects. This can involve brainstorming, story planning, sourcing, etc. We will also be available to consult with reporters, editors and producers from the news organizations in the months following training.

We will be accepting applications immediately and will continue to do so until the program has been filled. To apply, send applications to IRE Training Director Megan Luther at megan@ire.org by the end of the day Feb. 22, 2013. We want to ensure that we work with news organizations that not only desire to do better work, but are committed to the effort.The application process requires the following information:

• A letter from the executive editor or news director supporting the application and explaining his or her commitment to doing more in-depth work and a commitment to freeing staff to attend the training
• An explanation of how the newsroom is organized – number of reporters/editors/photographers/etc., beat structure, etc.
• Three examples of what the applicant believes is the organization’s best work from the past year
• A short explanation of why your organization wants the training
• Three possible story/project/subject ideas you'd like to tackle
• Please include the number of staff who will be attending the training
• Please include your circulation size or market number

For more information, see the TNT page or contact megan@ire.org.