A philanthropic group has awarded the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting and journalist R.G. Dunlop a substantial grant for an upcoming investigative project.
The Fund for Investigative Journalism last month named KyCIR reporter R.G. Dunlop a recipient of a $5,000 grant. The award will help support Dunlop's digging, reporting and production of a series set to debut later this year.
“I'm very pleased that the work of our new investigative reporting center is already attracting the attention of national organizations such as the Fund for Investigative Journalism," said Donovan Reynolds, president of Louisville Public Media.
The Fund for Investigative Journalism, based in Washington, D.C., was founded in 1969 and underwrites stories "that break new ground and expose wrongdoing -- such as corruption, malfeasance, or misuse of power -- in the public and private sectors," according to its website.
One of its first grants enabled reporter Seymour Hersh to investigate a tip about a U.S. Army massacre at the Vietnamese village of My Lai. The organization has backed investigative work around the world, awarding more than $1.5 million in grants since then.
R.G. Dunlop was the first reporter hired at KyCIR and in August broke the newsroom's first story, a sexual harassment scandal surrounding a longtime state legislator. Dunlop is a veteran investigative reporter, having covered Kentucky for more than 35 years at the Courier-Journal. He has received numerous accolades and honors for his work, which has unearthed corruption and abuse in all corners of the state.
The Fund for Investigative Journalism award represents the first grant of its kind for KyCIR, which was established last summer. The non-profit, investigative newsroom operates under the umbrella of Louisville Public Media and with 89.3 WFPL News.