Since the goal of the program is to produce published articles in the fellows' hometown newspapers or other publications, applicants should explain their expectations for how and when their stories or commentaries will appear in print.

Your project proposal is intended to be preliminary and you are not expected to necessarily have final details, contacts and travel itineraries in place at the time of the application. Strong proposals will be those that contain creative and practical ideas for producing articles that will help your readers increase their understanding of the local community's links to the world at large.

Following are some points that should be included in the project proposal:

1. Provide a succinct, one- or two-sentence description of the topic you plan to focus on during the fellowship.

2. Provide a brief background of this issue. Explain if and how it has been covered previously, how it is relevant to your local community, and what aspects remain to be examined in future coverage.

3. Explain the international dimensions of this issue and why traveling overseas to research and report on the topic will enhance the overall coverage.

4. Outline a preliminary logistical strategy for this assignment: When would you prefer to travel? What is the likely duration of the trip? To what country or regions will you travel? List any special considerations about the travel that may be significant in planning, such as climate, challenging conditions, civil unrest, special safety concerns, special needs, etc.

5. Explain whether you already have contacts in the country who can assist you, whether you know who you will interview and meet with, and how you will travel and live while abroad. If you do not have this information, list what type of help you expect to need in planning your assignment.

6. Explain how you expect to write about the issue you will cover. Will this result in a single news story, a feature article, a series of articles, commentaries, a special supplement within your publication, etc? Do you expect to publish in publications other than your own newspaper?

7. Because one of the requirements of returning fellows is to reach at least 20 of your colleagues to present the results of your fellowship experience, explain any ideas you have for accomplishing this, e.g. newsroom briefings, seminars at journalism conferences, visits to other newsrooms, speeches, mailings, etc.

Program Description

Application

Guidelines

2007 Program Dates:

• March 9, 2007 - Application Deadline
• Late March - Fellow Notification
• June 3-8- Washington, D.C., One-week orientation program
• June through September - Participants travel overseas (up to three weeks)
• Mid-November - Articles published and reports completed