Membership (Dues), Elections & Appointments, Duties of Officeholders (Oath of Office), Committees (Judiciary), Student Chapters, Records, Special Programs, Harassment Policy, Event Diversity & Inclusion, Social Media Use Policy, Honors & Recognitions, Planning Calendar, Copyright & Licensing, Expenses (Alcohol, GSA Standard, Air Travel, Ground Transportation, Lodging, Meals, Tips, Events, Documentation, Reimbursement, Insurance), Investments, Amendments
Application for membership must be submitted to the national office with the applicant’s first year’s dues. If a member chooses to pay dues monthly, they commit to paying the full year from the first installment’s processing date at the monthly rate set for their membership level. NPPA membership runs for 12 months from the payment processing date if a member pays in full. Members who choose to pay dues monthly will remain in good standing as long as their installment payment is received by the date of the month their first installment was received each month. Qualification for membership, as well as the classification of membership, is subject to approval. Questions may be referred to the Membership Committee or Judiciary Committee as appropriate.
In families with more than one NPPA member, a second membership may be purchased in conjunction with a fully paid Professional Membership at the same residential address. This membership provides both individuals with all of the privileges and benefits of a Professional Membership, but only one copy of News Photographer magazine will be mailed to the home. Family memberships are bound by the same monthly installment provisions as individual memberships should members choose to pay monthly instead of paying for their full year’s dues upfront.
Application for membership must be submitted to the national office with the first year’s dues. NPPA dues run for 12 months from the payment processing date. Qualification for membership, as well as the classification of membership, is subject to approval. Questions may be referred to the Membership Committee or Judiciary Committee as appropriate.
Domestic Professional (US & Canada) -- $145 annually, $15 monthly
International Professional -- $170 annually, $15 monthly (magazine delivered by surface mail)
International Airmail Professional -- $245 annually, $22 monthly (magazine delivered by air mail)
Family Membership (US & Canada) -- $240 annually, $21 monthly (1 professional + 1 family member)
Student Member (US & Canada) -- $75 annually, $9 monthly
Retired Member (US & Canada) -- $75 annually, $9 monthly
Basic Supporting Member (US & Canada) -- $75 annually, $9 monthly
Advanced Supporting Member (US & Canada) -- $145 annually, $15 monthly
Eligible voters include all active Professional Members, Student Members, Retired Professional Members and Life Members.
All Elected Board Members shall be elected for a term of three (3) years. Each year, two (2) seats on the Board of Directors shall come up for election: one seat shall be reserved for a candidate from the video/TV/broadcast discipline, and one seat shall be reserved for a candidate from the still/newspaper/print discipline. Candidates are responsible for classifying themselves under whichever discipline best describes the primary focus of their daily work and the interests which they will bring to the Board. The national membership shall be notified in advance, by any suitable means including publication on the NPPA website, that nominations for these positions shall be accepted from October 1 to October 15. The Executive Committee may, at their discretion, hold this nomination period open longer. If no nominations are received for a discipline’s seat, the President shall nominate at least one candidate of that discipline for the seat, and the Executive Committee shall approve the 7-day extension to the nomination period. Nominations shall be received by the Governance Committee, who shall supervise all election activities. They shall verify the eligibility of the nominee. To be eligible for election to the Board of Directors, a member must be an NPPA Professional or Student Member in good standing prior to being nominated.
Candidates are entitled to submit a photograph and biographical material, which shall be posted on the NPPA website by the end of October.
No space in any NPPA-branded publication (website, newsletter, social media, etc.) shall be used to endorse any candidate. The NPPA will provide space for all candidates to express their qualifications and positions. Any conflict of interest, or appearance of conflict of interest, is prohibited. If the Governance Committee determines that a violation has occurred, the Governance Committee shall disqualify the candidate. Ballots cast for that candidate shall be voided. The Governance Committee shall notify the electorate and explain the disqualification.
Election of the Elected Directors shall be conducted by secret electronic ballot. The National Office shall prepare and make available the ballots with the names of all eligible candidates, as well as blanks for write-in candidates. Ballots shall be available to eligible voters on November 1. To be counted, an electronic ballot must be submitted on or before November 15. The Executive Director shall count the ballots and notify the Governance and Executive Committees of the election results.
The one candidate from the Broadcast/TV discipline and the one candidate from the Digital/Print Media discipline receiving the highest plurality of votes cast shall be elected as Elected Directors. Each Elected Director shall be declared elected as soon as the votes are counted, shall assume duties January 1, shall be sworn in at the next meeting of the Board of Directors, and shall hold office until a successor is elected.
Each year in November, one Student Representative shall be appointed to a one-year term by the Regional Chairs Representative. The Student Representative shall advocate for, and disseminate information and initiatives to, the NPPA student chapters, visual journalism schools, and the student NPPA members. They will co-chair the Student Council with the Associate Regional Chairs Representative, attend Board meetings, give a formal report of student matters, participate in debate and discussion, and have voting privileges on all matters before the Board. At the end of an outgoing Student Representative’s term, they may stay involved with the council in an advisory capacity, to support and ease the transition of the incoming Student Representative, and are invited to attend board meetings by conference call, as special guests. A vacancy of the position shall be filled immediately with an appointment made by the Regional Chairs Representative.
Each year in February, the Student Representative and the Associate Regional Chairs Representative shall form the Student Council. They shall select five students who are members of NPPA Student Chapters and NPPA Student members to serve one-year terms. Five different chapters and schools must be represented on the committee. Student members thus selected may not serve more than one year on the council. The Student Representative and the Associate Regional Chairs Representative shall serve as co-chairs of the council which shall act as a conduit of communication between student chapters, student membership, the Executive Committee and the Board. A vacancy on the council shall be filled immediately with an appointment made by the co-chairs.
The National President and Vice-President, who serve one-year terms, shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors. The National Secretary, who serves a two-year term, shall be elected at the Annual Meeting of the Board in even-numbered years. The National Treasurer, who serves a two-year term, shall be elected on the odd-numbered year. In the event a President is re-elected, the Immediate Past President would then serve another term. Should the Immediate Past President opt not to serve another term, nominations would be opened for another Past President to serve the term instead.
Nominations for National Officers shall be accepted in writing by the Past President for thirty (30) days preceding the election until the time of the election. Nominations may come from members of the Board of Directors, or any life, professional or student NPPA member who has been in good standing for at least one year.
Election shall be by plurality vote on a secret ballot. All vote tallies will become part of the records of NPPA. The President shall appoint a pollster to collect and count all secret ballots at the Annual Meeting [as described in Bylaws]. This person shall not be a voting member of the Board, a National Officer or candidate for office. The ballots and results shall be presented to the National Secretary. A member of the Board who cannot be present for the balloting for National Officers may submit their ballot to the pollster by electronic means. At least 30 minutes must be reserved in the agenda for conducting the national officers election.
Regional Chairs shall be elected to a term of three (3) years. Each year, three of the nine regions shall hold elections by secret electronic ballot, as follows:
Group A (in years 2016, 2019, 2022, ad infinitum)
Central
Northwest
West
Group B (in years 2017, 2020, 2023, ad infinitum)
Midwest
South
Southeast
Group C (in years 2018, 2021, 2024, ad infinitum)
New England
New York and International
Mid-Atlantic
In election years, the regional membership shall be notified in advance, by any suitable means including publication on the NPPA website, that nominations for Regional Chair shall be accepted from October 1 to October 15. Nominations shall be received by the Governance Committee, who shall verify the eligibility of the nominee.
To be eligible for election or appointment to a regional office, a candidate must be an NPPA Professional or Life Member in good standing in that region prior to being nominated or appointed.
Candidates are entitled to submit a photograph and biographical material, which shall be posted on the NPPA website by the end of October.
The National Office shall prepare and make available the ballots with the names of all candidates, as well as blanks for write-in candidates. The ballots shall be available to each voting member in the region on November 15. Secret mail ballots shall be made available upon request by the eligible voter to the National Office. To be counted, an electronic ballot must be submitted on or before November 30. Mailed ballots must be received by the National Office on or before November 30. The Executive Director shall count the ballots and notify the Governance and Executive Committees of the election results.
The candidate in each region receiving the highest plurality of votes cast shall be declared the region’s Regional Chair as soon as the ballots are counted, and shall assume duties January 1, holding office until a successor is elected or appointed.
All Board Members and elected officials shall be sworn in by taking this oath of office:
"I do hereby pledge myself faithfully
to perform to the best of my abilities
the duties of my office
as prescribed by the governing documents
of this association."
Members who begin terms on NPPA’s Board of Directors, Executive Committee, or as regional officers after Jan. 1, 2015, and NPPA staff may not simultaneously serve as board members, directors, officers, or staff of global or national associations or organizations that compete financially or in mission with NPPA, including but not limited to American Photographic Artists (APA), American Society for Collective Rights Licensing (ASCRL), American Society of Media Photographers (ASMP), National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), Online News Association (ONA), Professional Photographers of America (PPA), Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA), Wedding & Portrait Photographers International (WPPI), and Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA). Questions about whether a conflict of interest exists shall ultimately be decided by the Executive Committee.
The Committee on the Judiciary shall consist of three NPPA members in good standing nominated by the president, and confirmed by a majority of the Board of Directors. The committee shall choose their Chair from among their members. Current members of the Board of Directors are not eligible to sit on the Judiciary Committee. In the event of a vacancy, the President may appoint a Committee member to serve until the next Board meeting.
The Judiciary Committee shall investigate and hear charges made against members for violations of the Code of Ethics or other activities or actions detrimental to the best interests of the Association.
Complaints made by members against other members for violations must be endorsed and signed by three members in good standing and shall be presented to the Judiciary Committee in writing, accompanied by all available facts and evidence. Signatories need not have firsthand knowledge or evidence that accusations have taken place, but find enough merit in the accusations to warrant adjudication by the judiciary committee.
Upon receipt of such complaint, the committee may reject the complaint by majority vote as inadequately supported by the accompanying evidence, or proceed with the complaint, in which case, the chair will send a copy of the complaint and the supporting data to the accused member by registered mail, within 7 business days of the receipt of the complaint. The member may file a sworn answer accompanied by evidence he/she cares to present within 15 business days. If circumstances require it, the judiciary committee may expedite or extend the above deadlines by unanimous vote.
If requested, the accused member shall have an opportunity for a personal hearing before the Committee. At this hearing, oral testimony received by the Committee shall be recorded.
If, in the majority vote of the Judiciary Committee, the charges made against the accused are justified and fully supported by the evidence, the accused member shall be disciplined in a manner deemed appropriate by the Judiciary Committee, up to and including expulsion from the Association.
A member disciplined, as described above, shall be granted the privilege of appealing his/her case to the Board of Directors in writing. The decision of the Board, by a majority vote, shall be final.
It shall be the duty of members of the Board of Directors to support and enforce the Bylaws, these Policies & Procedures, and the Standing Rules of the NPPA. In addition to discipline procedures listed above, a board member who willfully fails in their dut(ies) or who is guilty of conduct prejudicial to the best interests of the association may be impeached.
Complaints made by members against a Board member for violations must be endorsed and signed by five members in good standing and shall be presented to the Judiciary Committee in writing, accompanied by all available supporting facts and evidence.
Upon receipt of such complaint, the Committee may reject the complaint by majority vote as inadequately supported by the accompanying evidence, or proceed with the complaint, in which case, the chair will send a copy of the complaint and the supporting data to the accused member by registered mail, within 7 business days of the receipt of the complaint. The member may file a sworn answer accompanied by evidence he/she cares to present within 15 business days. If circumstances require it, the Judiciary Committee may expedite or extend the above deadlines by unanimous vote. The Judiciary Committee must meet to consider the charges within 30 days of receipt of the sworn answer.
Whenever, in the majority vote of the Committee on Judiciary, the evidence presented justifies the charges made, the Committee may suspend the Board Member from office and recommend to the Board of Directors that the member be removed from office. In making such recommendation it shall be the duty of the Committee on Judiciary to present to the Board a complete record of the charges, and all evidence, both against and in support of the accused.
Upon weighing facts presented by the committee on judiciary, the Board of Directors can remove a member from office by two-thirds (2/3) vote.
Special Subcommittees of the Standing Education Committee or the Standing Program Committee may be established to run specific workshops and programs of the NPPA. The Chairs of said Subcommittees must sign the Conflict of Interest Disclosure. They must also be NPPA members in good standing or sign the NPPA Code of Ethics annually, and shall serve on the designated Standing Committee as appropriate. Said Subcommittees may establish Standing Rules for the conduct of their business, as long as the Standing Rules are consistent with the NPPA Bylaws and NPPA Policies and Procedures.
The Chairs of said Subcommittees will be responsible for maintaining a file containing the minutes of each meeting that will be available upon reasonable request to committee members and the Board of Directors, including the Executive Committee. The Chair of each Subcommittee shall submit a written report of Subcommittee activities, in conjunction with the Standing Education Committee or Standing Program Committee, to the Board of Directors prior to the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors.
All Subcommittees that are empowered to handle NPPA monies are required to submit a financial report at the conclusion of each project and at the request of the Executive Director. All unbudgeted expenses incurred by any Subcommittee must have previous approval from the Executive Committee.
Subcommittee Chairs shall ensure that the NPPA name and logo appear on all published matter under their control. Subcommittee Chairs shall also ensure that information about how to become an NPPA member shall be included in all NPPA-generated promotional materials and be made available at all NPPA-sponsored events.
Regional Committees shall perform duties within the Regions comparable to the duties of the corresponding national and program Committees and under the direction of the Chairs of the corresponding national committee. Chairs of Regional Committees shall make a report of their activities to the Regional Chair upon request.
Student Chapters may be formed on college and university campuses by a minimum of five (5) NPPA Student Members in good standing. Chapter activities and elections shall be under the direction and guidance of an advisor who is a Professional Member or Retired Professional Member in good standing. All members of a Student Chapter must subscribe to NPPA’s Code of Ethics.
Student Chapters in good standing shall receive a stipend of $100 plus $20 per NPPA Student Member to a cap of $400 per Student Chapter. Funds will be distributed upon receipt of a satisfactory annual report. The report, with funding request, is due to the National Office by Dec. 1 each year. Stipends must be spent in accordance with NPPA’s policies regarding “Purchase of Alcoholic Beverages.”
Student Chapter offices shall be President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Chapter Presidents and Vice Presidents must be NPPA Student Members in good standing. Other offices may require NPPA membership if the chapter so chooses.
An annual report of progress and activity of each Student Chapter must be received by the Executive Director by Dec. 1 of each year in order for a Student Chapter to remain in good standing. This report must also include a list of officers and their terms in office; the name(s) of Student Chapter advisor(s); and the names of all Student Chapter members (to be cross-referenced with with NPPA membership rolls by the National Office to determine the chapter’s stipend).
Student Chapters that fail to carry our membership requirements shall be declared not in good standing by the Executive Director.
The Executive Director shall compile the information in the Student Chapter reports into a summary report to the Board of Directors. If a Student Chapter is declared not in good standing and wishes to appeal that declaration, the Student Chapter must notify the Executive Director, and decision on that appeal will be made by the Board of Directors at the Annual Meeting.
Dues charged by any Student Chapter will be in addition to NPPA dues.
Regional Chairs, Executive Committee Members, Program Chairs and Committee Chairs shall send a copy of any lease agreement, rental agreement or purchase order to the Executive Director with any request for payment of NPPA property.
Regional Chairs, Executive Committee Members, Program Chairs and Committee Chairs shall prepare and maintain a log of all property (non consumable) purchased, leased or rented for NPPA use or with NPPA funds, which shall include all original documentation and be filed with the Executive Director and updated on an annual basis.
The Executive Director shall be empowered to establish procedures necessary for the accountability and insurability of said property. Such procedures shall not inhibit the discretionary use of regional funds by Regional Chairs or committee funds by committee chairs, but shall be created solely for the purpose of accountability.
All expenditures from all budgets, officers, regions and committees must be submitted to the Executive Director within 90 days of the purchase, lease or rental date, with proper NPPA voucher approval, except that the 90 day time limit may be waived, but only under extraordinary circumstances, by appeal to the Executive Committee. No more than two waivers per person may be granted in a year.
All records shall be governed by the following rules.
All outgoing Officers of the NPPA must turn over records of their office to their duly elected or appointed successor within twenty-one (21) days from the day of succession. Failure to comply shall result in the offending officer's membership in NPPA being terminated. In addition, a civil action may be instituted at the discretion of the national Executive Committee to recover the records in question and the offending officer shall be responsible for the cost of such action.
All National Officers, National Directors, Committee Chairs and Task Force Chairs shall submit an annual report to the Executive Director for proper distribution to the Board of Directors prior to the annual meeting. Regional Chairs shall submit their reports to the Regional Chairs Representative.
The Special Programs and Projects of NPPA are:
News Photographer Magazine
The Best of Photojournalism Competitions
The NPPA website
The NPPA Student Clip Contest
The NPPA Monthly News Clip Contest
The NPPA Monthly Multimedia Contest
The NPPA (Norman, Oklahoma) News Video Workshop
The NPPA Northern Short Course in Photojournalism
The NPPA Picture Editing Quarterly Contest
The NPPA Television Quarterly Clip Contest
The NPPA Women in Photojournalism
The NPPA Multimedia Immersion
The NPPA Advanced Storytelling Workshop
During initial planning stages of any NPPA event, a regional officer in the region concerned must be contacted by the Program Chair.
The National Press Photographers Association (NPPA) is committed to providing its employees, directors and officers, volunteers, members, independent contractors, event participants and event faculty (collectively, “covered persons”) with settings that are free from harassment, in any form.
Harassment takes many forms, and may be, but is not limited to: words, signs, jokes, pranks, intimidation, physical contact, unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, stalking, other verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature, vulgar or abusive language, or violence as it relates to race, national origin, religion, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation or any other classification protected by local, state or federal laws.
NPPA will not tolerate harassment of or by these individuals. Any conduct by a covered person towards another covered person that is intimidating, hostile, offensive and/or specifically prohibited by law is prohibited. Any covered person engaging in such conduct will be subject to disciplinary action, which may include termination of NPPA employment or as a contractor; revocation of NPPA membership; immediate expulsion from NPPA-sponsored events; removal as a director, officer, volunteer or faculty member; or other actions as may be deemed appropriate.
The covered person(s) who believe that they have been the subject of any form of harassment should immediately report such conduct to the NPPA Executive Director, any member of the NPPA Judiciary Committee or the chair of the NPPA-sponsored event at which the harassment allegedly occurred. Any covered person submitting a complaint must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation of this policy. Any allegations that prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense.
NPPA will promptly investigate all reports of harassment and will keep the identity of the covered person(s) making the report and all aspects of the report and investigation confidential to the greatest extent possible. NPPA will take appropriate action(s) to remedy substantiated complaints.
It is contrary to the values of NPPA for anyone to retaliate against any covered person who in good faith reports an alleged violation of this policy. A covered person who retaliates against someone who submits a complaint is subject to discipline, up to and including termination of NPPA employment/engagement, loss of position and/or revocation of NPPA membership.
**N.B. Complaints alleging a violation of this policy by the NPPA Executive Director shall be made to the NPPA National President or to the chair of either the Judiciary or Ethics Committee.
To ensure that visible and influential voices reflecting the diversity of our members, the industry, and the communities we cover are part of our programming, the Board of Directors has set a goal of at least 50% women/non-binary individuals, at least 30% people of color, and people of non-traditional backgrounds and varying experience levels, being included in NPPA's event faculty, speakers, coaches, final round judges for annual national contests, portfolio reviewers, and story critiquers. Additionally, the Board of Directors strongly encourages all members, directors and officers to mentor and recruit such individuals for all elected and volunteer positions within NPPA.
If an event or contest chair is unable to meet the above goals, they shall notify the Executive Director and President who – along with the Executive Committee and Board of Directors – will assist in suggesting additional qualified individuals to be considered for the program.
Within 30 days of the conclusion of the program, the event or contest chair shall provide a written report, summarizing their event’s proceedings and outcomes for the Board of Directors. Reports shall include a section that provides the following: (a) an outline of the efforts of the chair and/or their designee(s) to meet the above goals; (b) an assessment of their success in meeting the above goals; and (c) an explanation of challenges, if any, encountered in meeting the above goals. In making this report, chairs are not required to inquire about any protected classes or groups to which individuals may or may not belong, or list such information in a report, but should make general statements about diversity and inclusion when known.
Recognizing that NPPA board members are perceived on social media as representatives of this organization—even in private forums—social media activity by NPPA’s board members should be governed by the following guidelines, by which board members agree:
The honors and recognitions of this association are:
The Joseph A. Sprague Memorial Award is the highest honor in the field of photojournalism. It may be granted to not more than two individuals each year and granted only if achievement is a sufficiently high standard in the opinion of the Committee. Two awards may be given:
(i) To an individual who is not a working visual journalist: a citation for unusual service or achievement beneficial to visual journalism or for an outstanding technological advance in equipment or processes of visual journalism.
(ii) To a working visual journalist: a citation for the advancement, elevation, or unusual recognition for the profession of visual journalism by his/her conduct, initiative, leadership, skill and devotion of duty.
The Joseph Costa Award consists of one award each year given to an individual for outstanding initiative, leadership, and service in advancing the goals of NPPA in the tradition of Joseph Costa, founder, first President, and Chair of the Board until his retirement.
The John Long Ethics Award is presented to an individual in recognition of their efforts to uphold, shape and promote ethical behavior in all forms of visual journalism.
The NPPA Alicia Calzada 1st Amendment Award is given to an individual, group or institution in recognition of First Amendment advocacy work. It is given annually or as seen fit by the Honors and Recognitions chair.
The J. Winton Lemen Fellowship Award may be awarded for outstanding technical achievement supporting and advancing the best interest of the Visual Journalism community.
The Kenneth Paul McLaughlin Award of Merit may be presented to those individuals giving continual outstanding service in the interests of visual journalism whether or not they are members of the craft.
The Burt Williams Award shall be given to visual journalists who have completed forty years of service in visual journalism whether or not they are members of NPPA. This award has been established to honor the memory of Burt Williams, founder and first National Secretary of the NPPA.
The Robin F. Garland Educator Award is presented to an individual who has given outstanding service and leadership in advancing visual journalism through education of the photojournalist.
The Editor of the Year Award is given annually to a newspaper or magazine editor for outstanding service to the profession of visual journalism, and to the progress and ideals of NPPA.
The President's Medal is awarded at the discretion of the President for special services to NPPA.
The Regional Publication Award is given annually to the editor of a regional or chapter publication who has contributed the most to communicating news and information about visual journalism to the membership.
The Morris Berman Citation shall be given to individuals or organizations for special contributions advancing the interests of visual journalism.
The Samuel Mellor Award was established in 1958 to honor the memory of NPPA's second National Treasurer, who set an example of devotion to NPPA ideals. It is presented to an Associate Regional Chair at the discretion of the Honors and Recognition Committee. The award need not be given every year. (This award was suspended indefinitely in August 2016)
The Humanitarian Award is given to a working visual journalist who has saved a life or made an effort to do so, rather than continue to take pictures when confronted with a lifesaving situation. The award shall be given at the discretion of the Honors and Recognition Committee and the President at any time of the year and is not be restricted to NPPA members.
The Outstanding Student Chapter Award is given to the student chapter whose activities are of superior quality in furthering the education and professional goals of its membership and NPPA.
The John Durniak Mentor Citation is given to an individual who has served as an outstanding mentor, either to a specific individual or to visual journalism in general. Nominations for his/her award are to come from working visual journalists. The recipients of the award may have, but need not have, any formal connection to visual journalism.
The Legion of Honor Award is created to honor and eternalize the memory of visual journalists who have given their lives while performing their duties. The Recipient need not be an NPPA member, but a star will be placed by the name of NPPA members. He or she must have been working as a staff member or a clearly defined free-lance member of a recognized news media organization to be eligible for this honor. Any person or organization may submit a candidate for consideration. A special "Legion of Honor" certificate of the NPPA showing the name of the individual and proper wording to honor the person and his/her dedication to news photography, along with the proper basic facts, will be presented to closest surviving relative.
Nominations for Honors and Recognitions shall be accepted in the fall, and selections shall be made during the month of November.
Conflicting dates can be catastrophic to an otherwise well-planned NPPA event. Vendors and registrants can't go to two events at the same time. It is therefore crucial that NPPA events not conflict with one another and with events outside our organizational control that may have a major impact on our programs. To this end, NPPA has established a planning calendar that is maintained by the Executive Director and the National Program Committee Chair and is available on the NPPA website.
The National Program Committee Chair assigns events on a first-come, first-served basis. Tentative dates (within reason) may be reserved. The Executive Director will contact key individuals (such as key vendor representatives, fellow journalism organizations, journalism education organizations, etc.) outside our organization on a routine basis to ensure that the calendar contains timely information.
Those planning NPPA events should consult with the National Program Committee Chair when selecting a date for the event in order to avoid scheduling conflicts. No contract should be signed on behalf of the NPPA without first consulting with the Executive Committee and the Executive Director.
Because much of the material published by various committees, regions and offices of NPPA, including the NPPA Code of Ethics, is seen by people outside the organization, a notice should be included in all substantial printed materials such as regional publications and informational booklets. Such notice should be similar to the following:
“The National Press Photographers Association is an educational and advocacy organization dedicated to the advancement of visual journalism. Membership is open to professional visual journalists, students and others who have a direct relationship with visual journalism. Material contained in this publication may not be reprinted, recreated or electronically distributed without written permission from the Executive Director. For more information, contact the NPPA at 120 Hooper St., Athens, GA, 30602; [email protected]. ©20XX NPPA”
There are necessary costs to operating and governing NPPA, and operating its many events, programs and initiatives. Anyone who conducts the business of NPPA is called upon to be a frugal steward of the association’s monies — derived from our members’ hard-earned dues and our donors’ generous contributions. Taking care to save costs and get the best value for NPPA must be a priority for all NPPA staff, officers, board members, contractors and volunteers.
Expense reports must be submitted within 60 days of expenses being incurred or billed. Reimbursements for reports submitted after this deadline shall not be paid without approval from the executive committee.
The NPPA will not pay for, or reimburse, the costs of alcoholic beverages except when such costs are reimbursed to the NPPA. {see “Meals” and “Program and Event Expenses” below}
All travel for NPPA business purposes must be approved in advance.
If you wish to have travel expenses reimbursed by NPPA, your travel must be preapproved by the Executive Director, or by the workshop, program or committee chair as outlined below. You submit a travel request as soon as travel needs are known.
If you are a staff member, contractor, board member, or national officer, your request should be submitted to the Executive Director. If you are a regional officer, your request should be submitted to the Regional Chairs Representative. If you are an NPPA workshop or program chair, you are responsible for working with the Executive Director and Treasurer to develop a travel plan and budget for your necessary volunteers, staff or faculty members.
Requests should include dates and destination of travel, anticipated transportation and lodging costs, and the NPPA business purpose.
Requests are subject to approval by the Executive Director, who may reject or modify them to conform to the association’s budget and/or Policies and Procedures.
For travel by the Executive Director to conduct NPPA business, pre-approval shall be handled by the Executive Committee. Except when using paid time off or other leave, advance approval by the Executive Committee is also required for travel by the Executive Director to attend activities or events held by associations and entities other than NPPA which would require time away from the office and regular duties.
NPPA uses the U.S. General Services Administration’s Per Diem Rates {hereafter “GSA Rates”} to determine what are reasonable travel costs. Look up current GSA Rates for your destination here.
“Not First, not worst.” Travelers should choose the lowest-cost main cabin fare for an itinerary that meets the needs of their NPPA business. Class or seat upgrades above main cabin standard seats are at the traveler’s expense and will not be reimbursed by NPPA.
Fees for up to one carry-on, or up to one checked bag for trips of two nights or more, are reimbursable. However, travelers are urged to avoid baggage fees whenever possible. Program chairs may approve up to two checked bags when a traveler’s NPPA business needs require such additional baggage. Three or more checked bags require approval by the Executive Director. Travelers who need to check a bag for medical or health reasons may do so without pre-approval, otherwise travelers needing exceptions to this policy must consult with the Executive Director or their workshop chair before incurring these fees.
On-board WiFi is not reimbursable unless time-sensitive NPPA business requiring an internet connection must be conducted.
Other costs that will not be reimbursed include: in-flight entertainment, airport lounge access, early boarding access, or other optional upgrades.
NPPA will not reimburse travelers for duplicate travel tickets. NPPA will also not reimburse change or cancellation fees without approval by the Executive Director.
Local car rental at a destination must be approved by the Executive Director in advance. Renting a car for intercity travel is fully reimbursable if (a) the cost is less than or equal to the cost of main cabin air or train travel, or (b) if no other affordable or reliable means of transportation are available to the traveler. If car rental is simply preferred by the traveler, and the cost exceeds main cabin air or train travel, NPPA will reimburse no more than the cost of the refused air or train fare, whichever is lower.
Rental cars should be a mid-size sedan or lower cost, unless another class of vehicle is necessary for NPPA’s business needs and approved by a program/event chair or the Executive Director.
NPPA’s liability insurance extends to car rentals used for official NPPA business. Renters should ensure they have included “National Press Photographers Association (NPPA)" along with their personal information on the rental reservation/contract. After being properly included, liability coverage can be declined at the rental counter.
NPPA’s liability coverage does not include collision/damage waivers (which cover physical damage to the rented vehicle), loss of use coverage, personal effects coverage, or roadside assistance. Some credit cards offer such protections to cardholders by virtue of paying for the rental with that card. Some personal auto and home insurance policies also extend to rental cars and personal effects. NPPA is not qualified to evaluate or advise on the adequacy of the renter's existing coverage. Renters should review their personal insurance policies, credit card benefits, or other sources of coverage that may substitute for the coverage offered by the rental company for less or no cost. Accepting or declining such additional insurance coverage is at the discretion of the renter of the vehicle. The NPPA will not reimburse for supplemental insurance coverage beyond that covered by NPPA’s liability insurance as described above.
Renters must refuel vehicles before returning them to avoid penalties. Such refueling costs are reimbursable by providing a receipt, however prepaid fuel offered at the rental counter will not be reimbursed.
The NPPA will not reimburse fines for parking or moving violations.
Use of a personal vehicle for NPPA business will be reimbursed at the “business” mileage rate established by the Internal Revenue Service for the year in which the travel occurred. If using a personal car in lieu of other means of travel (flight, rental car, train, etc.), mileage will be reimbursed up to the cost of the lowest means of travel.
Traveling by train is preferred over use of a personal car when the roundtrip cost of personal vehicle use and parking would exceed the cost of round trip train fare. The above air travel policies pertaining to ticketing, baggage, and WiFi also apply to train travel.
Taxi and ride-sharing fares are allowed. Lower-cost options such as shuttle buses, metro/subway or regional transit options are encouraged whenever practical.
NPPA will reimburse hotel rooms and associated taxes only. Travelers should aim to keep hotel costs reasonable: less than 125% of the GSA Rate. Rates exceeding this require approval by the Executive Director.
Additional room costs for a guest, spouse, significant other or child are the financial responsibility of the traveler or guest and will not be reimbursed by the NPPA, unless the additional person is also conducting official NPPA business.
The NPPA will not pay for room service or in-room entertainment. Hotel internet service fees are not reimbursable unless time-sensitive NPPA business requiring an internet connection must be conducted.
NPPA will reimburse for meal costs incurred during travel. NPPA’s per diem — the maximum per day reimbursement — is the GSA Rate M&IE Total for the location in which the costs were incurred. Travelers are urged to keep meal expenses down and to voluntarily reduce their meal claims when meals are provided (i.e. free hotel breakfast, or catered meals).
Itemized receipts are required for all meals claimed on NPPA expense reports.
The NPPA’s policy regarding “Purchase of Alcoholic Beverages” applies to all meals. Such beverages should be billed separately for personal payment whenever possible.
The NPPA will reimburse gratuities up to 20% as long as a credit card receipt is provided reflecting the amount. Cash tips will not be reimbursed under any circumstances.
With prior approval of the Regional Chairs Representative and Executive Committee, and subject to the NPPA budget for regional activities, regional officers may travel to events within the region they represent. For travel expenses to be reimbursed, the regional officer must have a defined NPPA business purpose for attending (such purposes include but are not limited to a substantial administrative volunteer position with the event, and member recruitment). Registration fees, if any, for the event are not reimbursable without prior approval. Travel outside of an officer’s own region will not be paid except with advance approval of the Executive Committee.
The sponsorship of a workshop or seminar to educate and professionally stimulate members is a very important activity, both within a region and on the national level. Expenses for workshops can encompass a wide variety of areas and these guidelines are by no means all inclusive.
Program and Event Chairs are the sole individuals empowered — and charged with the responsibility — to work with the National Treasurer and Executive Director to develop a budget, develop revenue and spending plans, and authorize expenditures for the event or program. This will best ensure the financial health of NPPA by coordinating all requests for complimentary registrations, travel expenses and other costs associated with the event or program are cleared according to NPPA policies. Expenses made by program or event staff members must be approved in advance by the program or event chair. These advance approvals may not necessarily be for specific amounts, but the intended use of the funds must be approved. All staff and guests should be informed of these guidelines before making a commitment to attend.
All contracts for facility use or rentals must be drawn up with the cooperation and final approval and signature of the Executive Director.
Travel, lodging and meal expenses of core workshop staff, appropriate speakers and others deemed necessary by the program chair must comply with the guidelines above.
Reasonable office expenses directly related to the business of NPPA are allowable. {see “Office Supplies” below}
Reasonable miscellaneous expenses not mentioned here and directly related to the event or program will be approved at the discretion of the Executive Director and/or Executive Committee in coordination with the program or event chair.
Registration fees for those volunteers who provide substantial service to the event, or who serve as invited program speakers, may be waived or reimbursed by the NPPA. The program chair shall determine who qualifies for a complimentary registration through such substantial service. Program chairs may not exempt volunteers from registration fees for service in previous years. Registration fees for national NPPA officers who are attending an event or program on official NPPA business will be waived.
Reasonable office expenses directly related to the business of NPPA are allowable. Normal office supplies such as pens, pencils, paper, file folders, paper clips, computer paper, toner cartridges, etc. are reimbursable. Unusual, specialty items must be approved by the Executive Director in advance. Printed stationery and envelopes are not allowed, as these are standardized and provided by the National Office.
Normal, routine postage costs, such as stamps and metered postage are allowed, though shipping of materials and bulk mailings should be done through the home office for cost savings and expense tracking.
Receipts are required for all expenses incurred by individuals expecting to be reimbursed:
Additional supporting documentation or statements of explanation are required when:
With or without the additional documentation above, the Executive Director and Executive Committee reserve the right to refuse reimbursement for excess spending.
Paying for meals or other activities for individuals who are not working in an official NPPA capacity is not allowed. Requests for exemptions to this policy must be approved — prior to the expense being incurred — by the Executive Director when NPPA business interests prevail.
Expense reports for reimbursement of allowable expenses must be submitted, along all required receipts and documentation, to the home office within 30 days of completion of travel, or within 30 days of a non-travel expense being incurred. Any report submitted after the 30-day deadline may be approved by the National Treasurer if the amount to be reimbursed is less than $500 and has been pre-approved and/or falls within the budget. Otherwise, approval is at the discretion of the Executive Director. Any expense report submitted after 90 days shall not be paid without a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
A rejected expense reimbursement may be appealed to the Executive Committee which shall rule at its next scheduled meeting.
For sizable authorized expenses, officers and program chairs should have vendors invoice the NPPA whenever possible. Invoices should be forwarded without delay to the Executive Director who will pay the invoice directly.
Capital expenditures — for property such as computer hardware and software, fax machines and copiers, etc. — are not regularly allowable expenses and require approval by the Board of Directors. Capital requests may be submitted as part of an annual report. Such requests are due to the Executive Director 90 days prior to the close of the NPPA fiscal year and must include a detailed breakdown of proposed costs and a full justification for the proposed purchase. Emergency cases may be appealed to the Executive Committee for consideration.
To keep track of NPPA-owned equipment in the field, the Executive Director maintains a property book containing the original invoice of all NPPA-owned, leased and/or rented property.
NPPA shall hold liability insurance to cover its events and programs. The Executive Director shall determine the appropriate levels and scope of coverage, and consult with program and event chairs as necessary to ensure events are adequately insured. The necessity for supplemental insurance of any kind shall be determined on a case-by-case basis by the Executive Director.
Individuals using non-NPPA equipment, even when on official business, are solely responsible for their own equipment. The NPPA does not insure personal equipment nor does it pay for the repair of personal equipment. The need for insuring any equipment in use, or personal equipment deemed absolutely necessary, at a program or event, shall be determined by the Executive Director in consultation with the program and event chairs. If the need exists, the equipment shall be insured at NPPA expense and the cost of that insurance shall be included as part of the budgeted expenses for the program or event.
Expenses not addressed within these Policies and Procedures may be approved or rejected by the Executive Committee on a case-by-case basis.
The NPPA Investment Policy protects the financial stability of the organization by setting guidelines that balance the investment of restricted funds with those funds needed to ensure ongoing operations.
Funds available for investment shall be defined as those not required for immediate distribution or working capital to fund NPPA’s daily operations. The funds will be reflected in financial records (Statement of Activities, etc.) as “Non-Operating Income” (current account code 506000). “Reserves” for the purpose of this policy will be funded through surplus unrestricted operating funds, gains realized from the investment of existing funds and/or the receipt of funds that are specifically earmarked by the funding source for restricted purposes. The Board of Directors may, at its discretion, designate certain funds that are generated as part of specific fundraising efforts to be held as separate and distinct from general reserves and/or operating funds.
The Board of Directors seeks preservation of capital with a consistent positive return for the funds.
The goal of the Investment Policy will be to maintain funds equal to or greater than six months of actual annual operating expenses. The amount of the fund goal or target will be calculated each year after approval of the annual budget.
As fiduciaries of NPPA, the Board of Directors ultimately is responsible for the investment fund. The board delegates the following responsibilities to the NPPA Finance Committee:
In keeping with the Investment Policy objective (stated above), the primary emphasis is to strike a balance between portfolio stability and portfolio appreciation. The Board of Directors and Finance Committee, as fiduciaries of the funds, understand and accept the assumption of a moderate level of volatility and the risk of loss of principal with this strategy.
The guidelines do not preclude the use of a single depository bank or major financial institution for the investment of funds, although at times the funds in a financial institution may temporarily exceed federally-insured limits.
Investments will be diversified with a minimum of 60% of portfolio assets in marketable fixed-income securities and a maximum of 40% in equity securities. Except for Treasury Agency and U.S. Government insured securities, no more than 15% of a portfolio shall consist of securities of a given issuer as measured by market value. Ratings for all fixed-income and equity securities are based on ratings given by Moody's, Standard & Poor's and Value Line. Where an equity security is not rated by Moody's or Standard & Poor's, Value Line may be used. This service rates securities as to investment quality and financial strength.
Marketable fixed-income securities that fall into one of the following categories are allowed under this Investment Policy:
Although, as noted in the Definition section above, funds subject to this Investment Policy are not designed to be used for NPPA’s daily operations, there are circumstances under which use of the funds will be allowable. Such decisions will be made at the recommendation of the Finance Committee and subject to approval of the Board of Directors. These uses may include, but not necessarily be limited to:
Unless unavoidable, the objective should be to replenish, within one year of expenditures, the investment funds that are used in order to restore the fund to the target minimum (see Goal above) or the threshold at which the fund existed prior to the use of the funds.
These Policies & Procedures may be amended by a simple majority vote of the Board of Directors.
Any member in good standing may propose amendments by submitting a resolution to the Board of Directors.
