The journalism industry was unstable even before the COVID-19 pandemic slashed advertising revenue for many publications. If you’ve been laid off, furloughed, had hours cut or lost a significant amount of freelance income recently, we want to help.

SPJ Oregon will give a $100 grant to journalists in our area meeting these criteria, usually via check mailed out within a few days of approval. We know that’s not enough to replace significant lost income, but our hope is to offer a quick source of emergency funds to help with groceries or a bill, as unemployment and other resources can take much longer to come through.

We’ve paid out nearly $2,000 under this program since we started in early 2020. Want to help us continue this program? Donate to our layoff fund! Every little bit helps.

To apply, send an email of 2-3 sentences to info@spjoregon.com including where you work or were laid off from, your position and a brief description of how $100 would help. Expect a response in 1-2 days, and don’t hesitate to nudge us if you don’t hear back promptly.

Eligibility

— Must be a journalist (freelance or employee) based in Oregon or southwest Washington

— Any newsroom employee is eligible: copy desk, visual journalists, web producers, sportswriters, etc.

— Must have been laid off, had hours cut, been furloughed (whether due to COVID-19 or not). We are also accepting requests from freelance journalists who have lost income because of the pandemic.

— You don’t need to be an SPJ member

— If you have an email or document showing you’ve been laid off or had hours cut, that’s helpful but not required. We can also verify through public announcements of large layoffs or by reaching out to coworkers or your employer.

Additional resources

— Journalist Furlough Fund, organized by Paige Cornwell at the Seattle Times, and available to any journalist laid off or seeing hours reduced. Donate here to support the fund and apply here if you need help.

— Microloans for Journalists, organized by a group of ProPublica reporters and Sisi Wei of Open News. Applicants will receive an interest-free loan of $500, to be paid back in one year, from a fellow journalist or group of journalists who have pledged money. Applications for those seeking help open Friday, April 10, 2020.