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Updated:
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Published: Wednesday, November 10, 2004 |
NABJ Chapter Toolkit
- Click here for the NABJ Professional Affiliate Chapter Audit
(Online Form) due Dec. 31.
- Click here for the NABJStudent Chapter Audit
(Online Form) due Nov. 1
Across the country, our dozens of local chapters are the backbone of NABJ. They do excellent work on behalf of black journalists. All NABJ members are urged to join a local professional or student chapter, and help to serve. If there isn't a chapter near you, then help start one. Benefits of becoming an affiliate chapter are numerous.
NABJ chapters are affiliated with a progressive, professional association dedicated to journalism excellence and diversity in newsroom staffing and news coverage. However, please understand that as a public, non-profit organization, NABJ needs to keep our house in order. So we require chapters to be compliant with the association's procedures and policies to maintain NABJ's integrity and mission. To that end, here is a one-stop online resource intended to help build, revive, grow and elevate local chapters:
I. Becoming a Professional Chapter or Student Chapter
Learn about all of the mandates required at the time of application. For starters, there's an affiliate application form -- remember, incomplete applications will not be considered -- and a need for a constitution and/or bylaws. Here are sample bylaws for professional chapters and sample bylaws for student chapters.
II. Annual Professional Chapter Audits
(Postmark deadline: Dec. 31)
All affiliate professional chapters must satisfy an annual audit that involves submission of more than a dozen forms to the NABJ national office.
Review the Professional Affiliate Chapter Audit Checklist intended to help all chapters satisfy this mandate.
For starters, there are bonding and financial procedures to ensure against misuse of funds; a request for a chapter officers list to make sure local President and Vice President (s) must be FULL members and the remaining officers MUST be NABJ members, and a verification form checking to see that chapters, among other things, are holding regular meetings and communicating with their members.
III. Annual Student Chapter Audits
(Postmark deadline: Nov. 1)
Reminder: Each student chapter must complete an audit to verify, among other things, that it holds regular meetings and has an advisor who is a full member of NABJ or a full-time professor who is an associate member of NABJ.The deadline is November 1. Be advised, the audit checklist, chapter officers list and verification form for student chapters differ from those required for professional chapters.
Download the following Student Chapter forms below (PDF, requires Adobe Reader):
NOTE: Professional and student chapters failing to satisfy audit requirements will be decertified and will have to reapply for affiliation.
IV. Chapter Resources
The Council of Presidents is a standing NABJ committee comprised of chapter presidents. The Council fosters effective chapter management, develops strategies for chapters to recruit and retain members as well as raising funds for scholarships and other award programs. It also aggressively recruits members to NABJ and works to reach a consensus and make recommendations on how issues and concerns can be addressed and resolved within NABJ. The Council communicates with its members, other NABJ leaders and otherwise shares chapter-related news primarily via a dedicated listserve. To join the listserve, contact Council Chair _Steve Jefferson_.
NABJ Constitution
Regional Conference Policies and Procedures
IV. Chapter Grants
NABJ bestows financial awards of up to $500 to affiliate chapters to encourage programs that will benefit local members and sustain NABJ's mission of community outreach. The fall deadline is October 1 and the spring deadline is February 15. (Winners are announced within 60 days of the deadlines.)
Here's a list of grant winners:
2010 Spring Chapter Grants
- Atlanta Association of Black Journalists - $500 All-day Super Workshop - Refreshing and honing the skills necessary to be successful in a competitive job market
- CUNY Graduate School of Journalism Association of Black Journalists - $500 Panel Discussion on Covering Africa and a High School Journalism Workshop
- Miles College Association of Black Journalists - $500 Three-Day Writing Workshop
- Triangle Association of Black Journalists - $500 TABJ "Making News" Media Access Day
2009 Fall Chapter Grants
- Charlotte Area Association of Black Journalists - $500 A one-day workshop in March 2010 for college students majoring in journalism or communications
- Jackson Association of Black Journalists - $500 JABJ Recruitment Reception, National HBCU Student News Media Conference, and the Healthy JABJ Run/Walk
- Jackson State University Association of Black Journalists - $300 “Write-On!” An after school journalism mentor program for middle school students and Community Photojournalism and Social Networking Project
- Tulsa Association of Black Journalists - $500 Oklahoma Salute to Excellence Banquet
- Washington Association of Black Journalists - $500 WABJ’s Urban Journalism Workshop
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