Posted on 9-2-2004

Bruce Jesson Critical Writing Fund
Call for Applications - 2004

The new Bruce Jesson Critical Writing Fund provides
financial support of up to $3000 each year for critical,
informed, analytical and creative journalism or writing
which will contribute to public debate in New Zealand on an
important issue or issues.

Many people - journalists, academics, students, workers and
people in all walks of life - have ideas for this kind of
work, but can't afford to take the time off paid work, or
need help with the cost of phone calls, books or travel. If
you fit that description, we want to help you get the time
and resources you need.

Our funds are limited too, and we want to be able to support
more than one project in most years, so in most cases we aim
to be a “top-up” fund to supplement other funds you can
raise from other sources. However, in exceptional
circumstances we will consider funding a project in full up
to the limit of $3000.

Payment will be negotiable, but in general we expect to pay
only part up-front, with the rest depending on agreed steps
up to final publication of the work.

Our criteria are non-political and non-sectarian. The fund
is open to anyone proposing in-depth analysis, regardless of
your point of view.

Criteria

1. You propose to produce a work of critical, informed,
analytical and creative journalism or writing which will
contribute to public debate in New Zealand on an important
issue or issues.

2. The work may take the form of an article, report,
pamphlet, book, radio or television programme, film, website
or any other publication which is aimed at, and accessible
by, the general public of New Zealand or any part of New
Zealand.

3. You have provided a detailed budget showing that you are
unable to produce the work without advance funding to cover
direct costs and/or living costs while researching or
producing the work.

4. You have tried, and have been unable, to get adequate
funds from all possible sources including, where
appropriate, media outlets and other publishers. (This would
clearly NOT be appropriate if the work will be critical of
such media outlets or publishers).

5. You can demonstrate, at an interview and on the basis of
past work and/or references, that you are capable of
producing the proposed work with enough accuracy, insight
and flair for it to have an impact in New Zealand public
debate.

Applications

You can apply to this fund at any time, but we expect that
we will normally allocate funds once a year. Initial
applications close on 30 April 2004. After this initial
round, we plan to call for applications in November each
year, with a closing date in January.

Please address applications to:

Bruce Jesson Critical Writing Fund,
Bruce Jesson Foundation,
P.O. Box 62 174,
Auckland.

Allocations

Funding will be allocated by the Bruce Jesson Foundation on
advice from its Writing Fund Committee. The foundation
reserves the right not to make any allocations. Its
decisions are final.

The Bruce Jesson Foundation

The Bruce Jesson Foundation is a charitable trust, chaired
by David Lange, that was set up after Bruce Jesson's death
in 1999 “to promote activities designed to generate
critical, informed, analytical and creative contributions to
political debate in New Zealand”, of a kind which Jesson
exemplified in his journalistic career.

To date, we have held an annual Bruce Jesson Memorial
Lecture at Auckland University delivered so far by David
Lange (2000), Brian Easton (2001), Chris Trotter (2002) and
Jane Kelsey (2003). Texts of these lectures are available on
our website, www.brucejesson.com.

The foundation is also committed to maintaining the
inspiration of Bruce Jesson's own writings. One of our
trustees, Professor Andrew Sharp, is editing an anthology of
Jesson's shorter writings for publication within the next
year.

Further information

Members of the Writing Fund Committee are happy to answer
any questions. They are:
* Rebecca Jesson, 09 521 8118, rjesson@xtra.co.nz
* Simon Collins, 09 373 6473 (work), 09 846 4699 (home), 021
612 423, simoncollins@clear.net.nz
* Finlay Macdonald, fincar@clear.net.nz

Simon Collins
Tel. 09 846 4699 (home); 09 373 6473 (work); 021 612 423
(cell)
4/28 Don Croot St,
Morningside,
Auckland 1003.
simoncollins@clear.net.nz