The National Press Foundation is a nonprofit journalism training organization. It educates journalists on complex issues and trains them in reporting tools and techniques. It recognizes and encourages excellence in journalism through its awards.
Since 1976, the 501(c)(3) foundation has provided in-person and online professional development for thousands of editors, producers and reporters around the world, at no cost to them or their news organizations. NPF brings journalists together with leading authorities to help them better understand and explain science, technology, economics, politics,
disinformation, health issues and the effects of public policy. All NPF programs are free and on the record. The content is posted on its website for the benefit of journalists and other audiences around the world. NPF programs are held in Washington, D.C., and other U.S. and international cities. It has recently produced trainings on vaccine development, poverty and inequality in America, international trade and the 2020 election.
NPF is run by and for journalists. Its mission is to "make good journalists better."
Awards
In 1984, NPF created its first award to honor Sol Taishoff, the late founder of
Broadcasting Magazine. The foundation now offers a slate of journalism awards to celebrate work that represents the highest standards of journalism. NPF awards are made by a vote of individual committees and ratified by the board of directors. They include:
Clifford K. and James T. Berryman Award for Editorial CartooningBenjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year AwardChairman’s Citation— issued at the discretion of the board chair
Everett McKinley Dirksen Award for Distinguished Reporting of CongressThe Feddie Reporting Award— for coverage of the impact of federal rules and regulations on local communities
Hinrich Foundation Award for Distinguished Reporting on TradeInnovative Storytelling AwardW.M. Kiplinger Distinguished Contributions to Journalism AwardCarolyn C. Mattingly Award for Mental Health ReportingPoverty and Inequality 2020 AwardsThomas L. Stokes Award for Best Energy and Environment WritingSol Taishoff Broadcaster of the Year Award
History and leadership
The National Press Foundation was incorporated in the District of Columbia on Aug. 5, 1975, as part of the National Press Club. In 1980, under the leadership of Donald R. Larrabee, it became an independent organization. Its first educational program was a 1981 conference at Princeton University aimed at improving business and economics reporting, held at a time when journalism schools had few programs to prepare business writers. NPF expanded to offer training programs on other topics around the United States, as well as internationally. During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, NPF began offering its training online.
The president and COO is Sonni Efron. The chairman of the board is Donna Leinwand Leger. Past presidents of NPF include Sandy K. Johnson, Bob Meyers, Robert Alden, Frank Aukofer, Joseph Slevin, and David Yount, all former journalists.
Organization
NPF is managed by an executive committee and is governed by a volunteer board of directors.
Programs
In 2010, NPF offered a training program called Cancer Issues 2010, underwritten by
Pfizer. The advertised goal was to train journalists to “understand the latest research” on various cancers, including the role of pharmaceutical products and vaccines.
MicroRNA (miRNA) was also a listed topic.
Funding
NPF is funded by sponsors of individual training programs, an annual awards dinner and an endowment. Sponsors include media organizations, foundations, corporations and individuals.
Some of NPF’s current and recent funders include Arnold Ventures, the Hinrich Foundation, the David & Lucile Packard Foundation,
Bloomberg Philanthropies,
CNN,
Toyota,
Twitter,
Johnson & Johnson
Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is an American multinational corporation founded in 1886 that develops medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and consumer packaged goods. Its common stock is a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the company i ...
, Fondation Ipsen,
Bayer
Bayer AG (, commonly pronounced ; ) is a German multinational corporation, multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Headquartered in Leverkusen, Bayer's areas of busi ...
, the Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, GlaxoSmithKline, Heising-Simons Foundation, American Association for Cancer Research, American Society of Addiction Medicine and
Honda.
NPF has previously been funded by
Pfizer, the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), a merging of the William H. Gates Foundation and the Gates Learning Foundation, is an American private foundation founded by Bill Gates and Melinda French Gates. Based in Seattle, Washington, it was l ...
,
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company is an American pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 countries. The company was founded in 1876 by, and named after, Colonel ...
, the
Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise
The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise (the Enterprise) is an alliance of organizations formed to accelerate the search for an HIV vaccine. Initially proposed in Science magazine in 2003 and developed by scientists, health experts and policy makers, t ...
,
World Health Organization,
TB Alliance,
Business Roundtable,
Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic () is a nonprofit American academic medical center focused on integrated health care, education, and research. It employs over 4,500 physicians and scientists, along with another 58,400 administrative and allied health staff, ...
,
Prudential Financial
Prudential Financial, Inc. is an American Fortune Global 500 and Fortune 500 company whose subsidiaries provide insurance, retirement planning, investment management, and other products and services to both retail and institutional customers t ...
,
AdvaMed,
Huawei,
Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the
United States Chamber of Commerce, and
Verizon Communications.
Studio works , The Evelyn Y. Davis Studio
With a grant from Evelyn Y. Davis and The Evelyn Y. Davis Foundation, the National Press Foundation built a broadcast studio in 2014.
References
External links
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Organizations established in 1976
American journalism organizations