Contact the media

Make it bright, keep it brief

To seek media publicity for your grant, first find out which newspapers and radio stations cover your area. If you know the name of the editor or journalist, all the better.

Keep in mind that their editorial staff may be very pleased to hear from you but almost certainly have limited time.

Tips:

Telephone or email to say you would like to send a media release
Include your organisation’s name and contact details as clearly as possible
Include the area/location your story is relevant to (for local community papers)
A 200-word release is five times as useful as one of 400 words (a single page)
Give lively and colourful information that enables the reader to visualise what you’re promoting
Include direct personal quotes. One live voice is worth three worthy summaries
Send a clear, enticing and informative photo (at least 300 dpi high quality resolution) as well as suggesting camera opportunities such as a grandfather on a skateboard or a four-year-old juggler
Make it as easy as possible for a reporter to contact or meet someone in your organisation

And another thing . . .

For newspapers, a group/team photo is OK, but showing one or two special individuals often has more impact on readers.

Include any photo credits and a caption naming people and place, and giving the date, but avoid the obvious: “Frank is shaking hands with Bill . . .”

Sharing the good news
Sample media release
Cheque presentations