URGENT UPDATE: THE FUTURE OF THE NPPA

NPPA launches fundraising in response to financial effects of the pandemic

To donate to the NPPA via our sister nonprofit, NPPF, click here. We thank you for any contributions you are able to give.

May 5, 2020

While focused on guiding visual journalists through the most challenging times in modern history, the NPPA, like every nonprofit association across this country, is grappling with substantial change. We have postponed nearly all workshops — a primary source of our revenue that sustains the organization. The federal stimulus packages have failed to provide substantial relief for 501c(6) organizations such as ours. The companies that sponsor our initiatives have been affected, along with their ability to give. Our members have been forced to make tough financial choices. All of these circumstances leave NPPA with unprecedented financial challenges.

Over the past month, NPPA’s board of directors met three times to figure out ways to fulfill our core mission — serving you — while ensuring we will be here to do that for years to come.

We have made these changes:

Our small, three-person staff volunteered to take significant salary reductions, and a part-time administrative position was eliminated.
Our legal counsel, Mickey Osterreicher and Alicia Calzada, also agreed to generously reduce fees for their legal work for us and will continue fighting for your rights — whether it’s access to news scenes, copyright, or emerging legislation like AB5 and the CASE Act — but more of that work will be done remotely.
We’re continuing our beautiful member benefit of News Photographer magazine, but shifting to exclusively digital distribution with the July/August issue as an interactive PDF format like the March/April issue. The May/June issue (headed to the printers soon) is devoted to COVID-19 coverage. We plan to resume printing when it’s economically feasible.
Our mentoring program, contests, ID cards, advocacy efforts and the vast array of member discounts will continue.
We’ve expanded our efforts to grow and retain membership.
We’re seeking donations, pursuing grants and other funding to sustain important work.

You can help - join us, or return to NPPA:

For the first time, we are offering two different supporting memberships for those outside our industry who would like to join our family, and help nurture our growth and sustainability.
Make a donation through the National Press Photographers Foundation, our 501c(3) nonprofit partners. Any amount makes a difference — from $25 to $25,000 -- according to your ability.
Your support will sustain NPPA into the future — and let us continue to make a difference as we have done during the pandemic.

Our focus remains on the visual community

Thanks to our visual community, our dedicated relief fund raised over $40,000 in partnership with our sister organization, the NPPF, and much of it has already been distributed to photojournalists around the country. Just last week, we gave relief checks of $500 to nearly 70 photographers whose livelihoods have been affected by the pandemic.

Earlier last month, NPPA distributed masks to photojournalists working in the field.

We held a series of virtual town halls related to the pandemic and they are archived on nppa.org.

Our attorneys have advised members on funding options, pushed for Congress to provide better relief for small businesses, responded to threats to photographers covering the virus from both the ground and in the sky with drones, and responded to court rulings with advice and guidance.

We know times are tough. Even the smallest contribution can help. Do it for the visual journalists telling critical stories on the front lines of this crisis. Do it for the First Amendment. Do it for the NPPA. Help us get through the current crisis so we can fight for a better future for all visual creators.

We’re in this together. As long as there is an NPPA, we will not stop fighting for you.

Be well,

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Andrew Stanfill, NPPA President [email protected]
Akili Ramsess, NPPA Executive Director, [email protected]
Katie Schoolov, NPPA Vice President, [email protected]
Michael P. King, NPPA Past President, [email protected]
Marie D. De Jesús, NPPA Secretary, [email protected]
Kyle Grantham, NPPA Treasurer, [email protected]
Andy Colwell, NPPA Regional Chairs Representative, [email protected]

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NPPA launches fundraising in response to financial effects of the pandemic