IowaWatch is being recognized by the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation with a $100,000 grant for the third year in a row. Grants such as these helped establish the nonprofit organization in 2010 and support the investigative journalism it does. Terms of the grant call for awarding $75,000 outright at the end of February and the remaining $25,000 as a match to new revenue IowaWatch is challenged to raise by the end of January 2015.
IowaWatch has provided news stories to more than 25 Iowa newspapers, broadcasters and websites through the work of student journalists on several Iowa college campuses and its full-time professional journalists. IowaWatch’s professional staff consists of Executive Director-Editor Lyle Muller and reporter/digital analyst Lauren Mills. “This is the third year of confidence that the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation has shown IowaWatch,” Muller said. “This is a huge bridge to what we hope will be a sustainable news organization that Iowans can count on. We want to continue to grow the journalism that already has had impact on Iowans and trained college students in Iowa to do this kind of journalism at a high professional level.”
IowaWatch also has received a $10,000 grant from The Gazette and KCRG-TV9, powered by Source Media Group of Iowa, for 2014 operating expenses. This marks the second year the multimedia company based in Cedar Rapids, IA, has given IowaWatch financial support. “I’m thrilled that IowaWatch is being recognized through this kind of support,” Erin Jordan, the IowaWatch board of directors president, said. “It shows we are working to secure other revenue streams and look forward into the future.”
IowaWatch is part of the Iowa Center for Public Affairs Journalism, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that does investigative and public affairs journalism; makes that journalism available free on its website, IowaWatch.org, and through media partners; and trains college students to do this journalism at an ethical, high level.