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2011 - 2012 Illinois High School Media Mini-Grants Program

This grant program made possible through funding from the McCormick Foundation.

Need a computer, software or other equipment for your school media program?

The Illinois First Amendment Center’s (IFAC) Illinois High School Media Mini-Grants Program is offered to Illinois public or private high schools with existing media programs. Sorry, home schools are not eligible.

How to Apply:

1. Grant Requests are due on or before January 27, 2012. Submit via email to Sue Montalvo, IFAC Director, at .
2. In two pages or fewer, using Times New Roman 12-point font:
   • Identify school, district number, school address with zip code, school phone with area code, school website, principal’s name, media adviser’s name and email address and amount being requested. (Requests may not exceed $2,500.)
   • Describe the community your school serves, why your school is applying for this grant, and a statement of what you ultimately hope to gain from receiving grant funds. Be specific as to how the funds will be used. (Cost estimates are acceptable.)
   • Describe the proposed outcomes of your proposal’s success. What challenges, if any, might complicate your success? How will you address these concerns?
   • If your school is willing to match any grant funds you may receive, please include this information in your request.
   • Describe how your proposal demonstrates the use and support of the principles of the First Amendment.

The applicant will agree to:

1. Submit a final report — See Report on Use of Grant funds below.
2. Return any unspent funds to the IFAC. See “Time Line” below for details.

What the IFAC Will / Will Not Fund:

Listed below are some examples of projects we will and will not fund. Neither list is intended to be all-inclusive. If you have questions about acceptable projects, please contact Sue Montalvo, IFAC Director.

Projects We Will Fund:

• To equip newsrooms with hardware and/or software needed to produce print or online newspaper
• To increase student broadcast media
• To launch/establish new web reporting version of existing publication
• To advance journalism excellence and free expression
• To educate students about news literacy

Projects We Will Not Fund:

• This program is not intended to start a journalism or other media program where none exists.
• We prefer not to fund the costs of sending students or faculty to training programs or camps.
• This program is not intended to fund yearbooks.

Time Line:

• Grant Proposals are due on or before January 27, 2012 and must be submitted via email only.
• All applicants will be notified of the outcome of the selection process on or before March 16, 2012.
• Grant recipients will receive grant funds from the IFAC in April 2012.
• Any funds not expended by December 3, 2012 must be returned to the IFAC by December 14, 2012.

Report on Use of Grants

• Submit a final report, not to exceed two pages, to Sue Montalvo at on or before December 3, 2012 detailing how the funds were used. Document the successes and/or challenges related to the project and how this funding made a difference in your media program. We will be reporting this feedback to our grantor who made this funding possible.
• We encourage you to share stories and/or updates about the school’s progress toward completing the project.

Questions?

Please contact Sue Montalvo at 217.241.1300 or via email at .