2007 News: SABEW receives two $15,000 grants for training

The Society of American Business Editors and Writers received a $15,000 grant last month from the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media and the Pew Charitable Trusts.

The institute, which is associated with the Columbia University Teachers College, will sponsor a seminar at SABEW’s 44th annual conference in Orange County, Calif.,, on May 21.

The session will explore the business impact of investment in pre-school education. Numerous studies have shown that high-quality pre-kindergarten programs contribute to economic growth by increasing the health, productivity and employability of a future workforce.

Since 1996, the Hechinger Institute has sponsored 66 seminars attended by nearly 2,000 journalists. The Trusts have provided support to the Institute that has allowed it to work with journalists to improve their knowledge of early childhood education and their skill in reporting on it.

In addition, focus on the economics of health care is the target of a $15,000 grant from the Commonwealth Fund to SABEW.

During SABEW’s 2007 spring and fall conferences, the grant will support training sessions for reporters on the dynamics of the health care marketplace.

Based in New York City, the 89-year-old Commonwealth Fund is a private foundation that supports research and training in health care practice and policy.

At SABEW’s annual conference in Anaheim, Commonwealth will assist in putting together a training session for reporters that will help them cover the rising cost of heath care for employers, efforts to expand health care in an affordable manner, legislative proposals and other angles for covering this complex, critical topic.

Since 1964, SABEW has operated as a not-for profit organization made up of business journalists. Part of SABEW's mission is to upgrade the skills and knowledge of its 3,200 members through continuous educational efforts. SABEW is headquartered in Columbia, Mo., at the School of Journalism at the University of Missouri.

Posted March 20, 2007