ConDev’s Student Media Grant

About the Grant

ConDev’s Student Media Grants award up to $5,000 to current students interested in capturing issues facing fragile and conflict-affected areas of the world through stunning photography. Past winners have traveled to and produced photography highlighting issues in Nigeria, Mali, India, Nicaragua, Kenya, Haiti, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Perú, and other conflict-affected regions.

Eligibility

The program is open to students worldwide (undergraduate, graduate, PhD, etc.). Students graduating in April-May 2017 are also eligible to apply.

Application Timeline

August 1, 2016: Application opens! You can start e-mailing your finished proposals to condevcenter@condevcenter.org
September 30, 2016 (by 11:59pm CST): Application deadline
October 2016: Review Period – please be patient as we review your incredible proposals!
November 2016: Notification Period
January 2017 (Depending on proposal timeline): Funding Disbursement (approximate)
January-December 2017: Grant winners travel and implement their photojournalism projects

Proposal Format

• No more than four (8.5”×11”) pages (not including cover page)
• 12 point, Times New Roman font
• 1″ margins

Students should submit proposals that describe their anticipated travel, subjects, and plans for photostory production, refinement and promotion as specifically as possible.

Proposals must include the following components:

• Cover Sheet
• Thematic Focus
• Statement of Motivation
• Media Experience
• Timeline
• Narrative of Planned Activities (including Plan for Promotion)
• Budget

More details

• Cover Sheet should include:
  • Title of Proposal
  • Applicant Name
  • Applicant Email
  • Major (Example: BS International Studies)
  • University Name
  • Expected Graduation Date
  • References: The names and contact information (telephone numbers and emails) of two faculty or staff at your university who can serve as references.
    *By submitting a proposal, applicants agree that ConDev has permission to contact these individuals prior to awarding a grant to the applicant.
• Thematic Focus
  • What theme/issue do you plan to photograph?
  • What do you hope to achieve by highlighting this specific subject or issue?
• Statement of Motivation (½ to 1 page)
  • Why this issue/country? How will this grant further your personal/professional aspirations?
• Media Experience (1/2 page maximum)
  • Is this your first time using a camera, or do you have experience taking great photographs? Feel free to include links to past work, or include them as attachments when you submit your proposal.
  • Applicants are responsible for editing and presenting their photos with all associated captions and/or descriptions after returning from their photo exhibition. Do you have any experience editing photos?
  • If you lack photography experience, how do you plan to improve your skills before departing on your photo exhibition, should you be awarded a grant?
• Timeline
  • The use of a table is encouraged for timelines.
  • Provide clear travel dates and locations.
  • Include milestones for delivering preliminary photos during your expedition.
• Narrative of Planned Activities
  • This section, outlined in paragraph form, will explain your planned activities as proposed in your timeline.
    How long do you plan to be in-country?
  • How do you plan to capture photos, and with whom do you plan to meet?
  • Include plans for delivering preliminary photos during your expedition.
  • Where will you travel to? Do you plan to visit more than one country?
  • List specific deliverables, including method of delivery. Include specific deadlines for delivering your final product and promoting your work after your return.
    *A “Plan for Promotion” is required. How do you plan to present and promote your finished, edited and polished product after your return? Will you target specific media channels/magazines/news outlets?
• Budget
  • Applicants are encouraged to be as detailed and accurate as possible regarding estimated expenses.
  • Please ensure that your budget does not surpass the $5000 limit.
  • Will you need to pay for visas, flights, vaccinations, security, etc.? If so, include it in your budget.
  • All budget totals should be in U.S. dollars (USD).
  • Please ensure that your budgets are realistic. ConDev will not disburse additional funds for any reason. Applicants are responsible for arranging all details of their travel completely independently.

Submission Instructions

Proposals should be submitted to condevcenter@condevcenter.org with “Student Media Grant: [Name of Student]” as the subject line. Only one proposal can be submitted per student.

*Exception: This year, to ensure that students submitting proposals in ‘high-risk’ locations are not at a disadvantage, we will allow students who are concerned that their first option might not get approved (due to safety concerns) to submit TWO proposals: a ‘high-risk’ proposal and a ‘lower-risk’ proposal. The two proposals will be judged (and scored) completely separately, but you are more than welcome to copy and paste parts from one proposal to the other to save on time, especially if the subject matter is similar for the two proposals.

For more information on application please click on the "Further official information" link below.

This opportunity has expired. It was originally published here:

http://condevcenter.org/student-media-grant/