Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation

The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation (EEJF) is a grant-making foundation based in Oklahoma that provides grants to journalism institutions throughout the United States. In 2011, the foundation's assets were $91.1 million and $4 million was distributed in grants.

The EEJF was established in 1982 by Edith Kinney Gaylord. Robert J. Ross has been the President and CEO of the EEJF since 2003.

The Foundation's mission, according to its website, is "to invest in the future of journalism by building the ethics, skills and opportunities needed to advance principled, probing news and information". It works toward this goal by giving contributions to a variety of journalistic enterprises.

The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation has supported over 100 non-profit journalism-oriented organizations. Grant recipients have included:

The contributions of the Foundation have made an impact in the quality and capability of leading journalism projects nationwide. Some of Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation's most notable sponsorships have been awarded to:

Edith Kinney Gaylord was born March 5, 1916 in Oklahoma City to parents Inez and E. K. Gaylord. Her father was editor and publisher of The Oklahoman and The Oklahoma City Times. Edith attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs before graduating from Wells College in Aurora, New York in spring of 1939 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Edith began her journalistic career reporting for her father’s newspaper and radio station in Oklahoma City. In the summer of 1942, she was hired by the Associated Press in New York and was transferred five months later to their Washington, D.C. bureau. She was the first female employee on the general news staff.

She filed stories from New York, Hollywood, San Francisco and Chicago while following Madam Chiang Kai-shek on her tour of America. When first lady Eleanor Roosevelt insisted the AP send a female reporter to cover her news conferences, Edith was assigned to the task.

In 1944, Edith was elected president of the National Women’s Press Club, and served as secretary of Mrs. Roosevelt’s press conference committee and media liaison between her and the press. She also covered other notable events, including the death of Franklin Roosevelt, the new first lady Bess Truman and the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London.

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