Got an idea for a J start-up? Here’s ways to fund it.

01Apr10

Have an idea for a start-up but not sure how to make it a reality? Below is a list of competitions and organizations that award journalism start-up ideas and concepts. These groups value innovation and technology and want to see projects that demonstrate what the future of news entails.

1. J-Lab: The Institute for Interactive Journalism and the McCormick Foundation are fund four women-led projects that will rock the world of journalism. The McCormick New Media Women Entrepreneurs awards four grants of $12,000 to the most engaging and interactive women-led project or ideas.

Requirements:

• Projects must launch (at least a live beta) within 10 months.
• Projects must have a plan for continuing after initial funding has ended.
• Projects must have journalistic value.
• Projects may be independent or housed within traditional media.
• Personal blogs or one-time documentaries will not be funded.
• Awardees will receive funding through a subcontract if they are an individual or affiliated with a business; and through a grant if they are affiliated with a non-profit institution.

Deadline to apply: April 12, 2010

2. J-Lab: The institute for Interactive Journalism: News Voices invites participants to launch a participatory news venture in your community. J-Lab selects nine projects in 2010. Each project may receive up to $25,000. News Voices s looking for projects that exhibit: focus, news, online presence, interactivity, sustainability, and digital innovations.

Requirements:

• Only start-up news initiatives can receive funding. Ongoing efforts are not eligible unless they are proposing a new project or product.
• Grantees must launch their project and Web site within 10 months of receiving funding.
• Projects can produce news and information for a geographic area such as a small town, city, county, state or region. Or they can serve a community of interest.

Deadline to apply: March 1, 2010

3. WeMedia Pitch It: The goal is to find and fund the best media start-ups with help from investors, fellow entrepreneurs, corporations, and other business experts. WeMedia grants $25,000 to two ideas (one commercial venture and one social/non-profit venture). Ideas are selected and then voted on by members of WeMedia’s online community. Finalists then pitch their ideas at the WeMedia conference in Miami.

Requirements:

• Clear, and concise concept that is innovative
• Encourage teams of two to three people.
• Demonstrate some thought as to how your idea can become a reality
• Ability to attend the WeMedia conference

Deadline to apply: January 21, 2010 (passed)

4. Journalism Foundation: A non-profit organization that invests in the future of journalism by building the ethics, skills and opportunities needed to advance principled, probing news and information now and for the future. With a special focus on investigative reporting, grants can be applied for at any time. Grants are made to non-profit projects, journalism organizations, and start-ups.

5. Knight News Challenge: An annual competition awarding as much as $5 million a year for innovative ideas that: develop platforms, tools and services for community news, conversations and information distribution and visualization.

Requirements:

• Use digital, open-source technology.
• Distribute news in the public interest.
• Test your project in a local community- (limited geographic area) that affects people in a specific local area, which could be as big as a state or province, or as small as a city block.

Deadline: Fall of 2011

6. Y Combinator: A private group that gives seed funding for start-ups. Seed funding is the earliest stage of venture funding pays for expenses while you’re getting started. Groups can apply for funding and are encouraged to be comprised of:

• Writer- who can write well and rapidly about any topic
• Graphic designer
• Programmer(s) – one or more who are good at statistics, data mining, and making sites scale.

Deadline: none

Advertisement

Filed under: Business Models, Community Funded Reporting, Funding, Start Up   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: business, entrepreneurs, innovation, J-Lab, Journalism Foundation, Knight Foundation, Knight News Challenge, McCormick New Media Women Entrepreneurs, News Voices, WeMedia