The SNPA Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to help support The Relevance Project, an initiative of Newspaper Association Managers. The grant is renewable in 2022, subject to a performance review by the SNPA Foundation board.
The Foundation grant continues a long history of collaboration by SNPA with state newspaper trade associations and community newspapers. In making the grant, the Foundation board expressed hope that this venture will seed further cooperation and coordination among newspaper industry associations.
"We think it's important for this initiative to succeed to help associations strengthen their member newspapers," said P.J. Browning, chair of the SNPA Foundation and newspaper division president of Evening Post Publishing in Charleston, SC. "We value being a part of that refreshing collaboration."
The grant is a first for both organizations. It is the initial award made by the SNPA Foundation since it was re-established as an independent, non-profit in the merger that created America's Newspapers. And, it is the first outside funding received by The Relevance Project after being developed in 2018 and formally launched in 2020 with www.relevanceproject.net
"Grants like this are difference-makers and we appreciate SNPA Foundation's endorsement of The Relevance Project," said Steve Nixon, NAM president and the executive director of the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspapers Association in Canada. "Press associations and their advocacy on behalf of community newspapers are vitally important to our industry, markets and democracy."
