Fundraising for SEJ's endowment, the 21st Century Fund, is led by an endowment committee appointed by the SEJ Board. Members wishing to renew their membership and contribute to SEJ's future can do both via our secure online member website. Non-members (and members not needing to renew their membership) can donate or subscribe to SEJournal via this secure page. Or, download a giving form to fax or mail — available as either a PDF file (requires free Adobe Acrobat ® reader) or HTML web page. Donations accepted from individuals only.

NOTE: In fall 2006, SEJ received an endowment challenge grant, intended to help us raise more than $150,000 for SEJ's endowment effort by May 31, 2007. The grant of $51,500 was offered by the Challenge Fund for Journalism, a collaboration of the Ford Foundation, the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. It gave us fifty cents for every dollar we raised for SEJ's 21st Century Fund endowment between last fall and May 31, 2007, up to a total of $103,000. We are thrilled to report SEJ members, friends and staff met the Challenge!!

Dear SEJ members and friends,

If you are reading this, you already are part of the SEJ family or fan club — people who realize this is one of the most important journalism groups on the globe. Over the past 14 years, SEJ has developed a reputation as a no-nonsense, unbiased, professional group with one goal alone: helping journalists provide high-quality coverage of environmental issues.

What if SEJ went broke? What if the presses stopped kicking out SEJournal, and the online community that SEJ's listserves provide disappeared? What if the Stanford, CA, conference was canceled and annual conferences were no more? Would we be left to say, "We'll always have Chattanooga?"

Where would journalists go for the networking, story ideas, friendships and, yes, great parties that have become SEJ mainstays?

The 21st Century Fund, our endowment, is meant to make sure that SEJ keeps on chugging. The goal is to raise enough money that the office and the basic services, including the conference, will survive financially scary times. The interest earned from these donations will be used to help keep the SEJ lights on.

We need your help. SEJ's Board of Directors is actively seeking donations from individuals from all walks of life, people willing to give a gift for the future, no-strings-attached. SEJ board members support the endowment financially and with countless volunteer work hours.

Your tax-deductible gift to the 21st Century Fund will be deposited in a special endowment account. (This account is for gifts from individuals; SEJ does not accept grants or gifts from non-media corporations, government agencies and advocacy groups.)

If you're one of the hundreds of members and friends of SEJ who have already contributed to the 21st Century Fund, thanks so much for your support. We hope you'll consider making an additional donation.

Sincerely,

Tim Wheeler
SEJ President