WE MET THE CHALLENGE!

Thanks to the hard work of many people and the generous support of hundreds of donors, the Associated Press Managing Editors successfully completed its 2007 Challenge Grant fundraising drive. The 74-year-old organization of newspaper editors from the United States and Canada raised more than $177,000 during the past year, $31,000 more than was needed in order to receive another $73,000 in matching funds from a consortium of the Knight, Ford and Ethics and Excellence in Journalism foundations.

The three foundations challenged APME to raise $146,000 from individual donors as well as family foundations and small businesses. APME focused its efforts on editors who had benefited from the organization and its programs. All members of the association's board of directors plus eight directors overseeing its charitable foundation contributed to the campaign.

Donations were received from 220 individuals; some were matched by employers. Significant matches came from the Gannett Co., Media General, Cox and Scripps.

The campaign was chaired by board member Hank Klibanoff of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"This kind of wide-ranging support shows the importance of APME during a time of transition for our industry," said APME President Karen Magnuson, "It will help us build a strong foundation for the future."

The money will be used to manage the organization's communication, membership and donor programs; support marketing efforts; help fund the organization's strategic-planning process and continue APME programming. Key support will be given to the APME NewsTrain program that offers high-quality, low-cost regional training to editors around the country.

"I'd like to thank our friends at Knight, Ford and Ethics and Excellence in Journalism for giving APME this grant opportunity and all of our donors for helping us meet the challenge," Magnuson said. "I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding leadership of Hank Klibanoff, APME Foundation President Suki Dardarian and APME Executive Director Mark Mittelstadt. They worked very hard to get the word out and give supporters an opportunity to make donations. We couldn't have done it without them!"

REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2007 APME CONFERENCE

SEND YOUR GOOD WORK FOR THE "GREAT IDEAS" BOOK

One of APME's most popular traditions is the publication of the annual "Great Ideas" book, featuring top-notch journalism from newsrooms across the U.S. and Canada. We hope to showcase a record 500 ideas this year, and we need your help to get there. A "great idea" can be a new concept for print or online, or a major improvement to something that you do every day. This is your opportunity to brag about your newsroom's best work and to help fellow editors by sharing ideas that might work in their markets.

The deadline is Friday, July 13. Click here for our simple entry form. If you have questions, contact Kurt Franck, managing editor of The Toledo Blade, kfranck@theblade.com or Bobbie Jo Buel, executive editor of the Arizona Daily Star, bjbuel@azstarnet.com.

COMING TO A MAILBOX NEAR YOU: APME NEWS

Catch the last breath of Spring when the latest edition of APME News arrives on your desk. Just some of this issue's features:

■ Questions for AP: ombudsman, membership, content rights.

■ You Make The Call: NBC's airing of the Virginia Tech gunman's video.

■ AP political coverage: go deep, go wide.

■ Recruiting: fellow editors share what works.

■ Consumers, not Readers: What do they really want?

If you don't receive a copy send a note to APME at apme@ap.org. Be sure to include your name and address.

CLICK HERE to download the online version.

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR DIVERSITY LEADERSHIP AWARDS

The Freedom Forum, in partnership with the Associated Press Managing Editors and the American Society of Newspaper Editors, is accepting nominations for the sixth annual Robert G. McGruder Awards for Diversity Leadership. Two awards are given annually: one for newspapers with a circulation up to 75,000; one for newspapers with more than 75,000 circulation. The awards go to individuals, newsrooms or teams of journalists who embody the spirit of McGruder, a former executive editor of the Detroit Free Press and relentless diversity champion. McGruder died of cancer in April 2002. Deadline to make a nomination is Aug. 24. Read more here.

ENTRY PERIOD OPENS FOR APME JOURNALISM EXCELLENCE AWARDS

APME is now accepting entries in its journalism annual excellence competition: Public Service, First Amendment, International Perspective, Online Perspective. New this year: the APME Innovator of the Year Award, to be selected and presented during the APME annual conference Oct. 3-6. Read more here.

THESE EDITORS JUST WANT TO HAVE FUN

Be on the lookout for the 10 small, quiet editors traveling the country this summer on behalf of APME. They've already been to Seattle, Phoenix, Memphis, Atlanta and other garden spots of America. We're pretty sure one will visit you. Put them to work, show them a good time and listen to their pitch about why YOU need to attend this year's APME conference in Washington, D.C. Reader about their summer adventures at:

http://www.apme.com/postcards/2007/convention/pre/

To receive e-mail notification of new APME Updates, write to APME@ap.org

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