Is my organization a good fit for this program?

If you think you can offer high-quality mentoring , editing and coaching to a talented young journalist then you might be a good fit. 

What can a fellow offer my newsroom?

That depends! Imagine all the things you could do with an extra pair of boots on the ground 40 hours a week. You might expand coverage of a hot topic, add a new beat, assign a multimedia project, or finally dig into that investigative project you've been wanting to do.

How does the money work?

The money comes from a grant the New Mexico Local News Fund awarded to the UNM C&J Department. For the fellowship, UNM will give each organization $38,500 (in installments) to pay the fellow for one year. If you would like  to use your own budget to pay your fellow more, then great! For the internship, UNM will give you a maximum of $4,000 to pay the intern $16.50 per hour. Those amounts include a stipend for the bootcamp. You pay the fellow or intern W-2 wages like a regular employee. 

Is that gross salary?

Yes, that's gross, but we ask that you do not deduct your portion of the payroll taxes from the grant amount.

Who picks the newsrooms?

A selection board including media professionals and educators will select the recipients. One of the most important factors is the quality of mentoring that you're able to provide.