Wei Ming-Kuang Prize Grant Program – Implementation Guidelines

I. Application Rules

1. Applications for the Wei Ming-Kuang Prize are accepted online only. All required documents must be submitted through the online submission system.
2. Entries for either the Initiative for Journalism Advancement or the Initiative for Global Exploration  may be submitted by individuals, groups, or organizations. Each proposal must designate one representative  to complete the application form and submit the required documents.
3. For group or organizational applications, the names of all co-participants must be listed in the application form. Each participant is required to  sign the application form in person  and must actively participate in the project.
4. Each project may apply for only one award category, either the Initiative for Journalism Advancement or the Initiative for Global Exploration.  Duplicate or cross-category applications are not permitted. 

II. Proposal Content Guidelines

Proposals should include the following sections:

1. Project Vision and Contribution: please describe the project’s objectives or the issues it seeks to address, as well as its anticipated contributions to the journalism and media industry.
2. Project Content and Implementation Plan: for the Initiative for Journalism Advancement, please detail the main tasks, implementation methods, and how the proposal aligns with the call-for-proposals focus areas; for the Initiative for Global Exploration, please specify the overseas institutions, resources, or partners to be visited, including details of collaboration and their significance.
3. Expected Outcomes and Impact: please describe the expected outcomes, including both quantitative and qualitative results. Quantitative outcomes should include clear performance indicators or measurable results. Qualitative outcomes should address improvements to the journalism industry or personal professional development.
4. Publication or Dissemination Plan: please describe how the project outcomes will be published or disseminated, such as through media platforms, special reports or books, public forums or sharing sessions, teaching materials, or lesson plans.
5. Projected Work Items and Timeline: please present the timeline in the form of a Gantt chart. For the Initiative for Global Exploration, please specify the expected period of overseas travel.
6. Project Team: please briefly describe potential collaborators or team members, along with their roles and contributions. This section is optional for individual Initiative for Journalism Advancement or the  Initiative for Global Exploration projects.
7. Career Development Plan of the Proposer: for group projects, this refers to the principal proposer. Please outline short- and medium-term career plans.
8. Budget Plan: budget categories should include Personnel Costs, Operating Expenses, Equipment Costs, Travel Expenses, and Miscellaneous Expenses. All amounts should be stated in New Taiwan Dollars (NTD).

III. Proposal Format Requirements

1. Proposals must be prepared on A4-sized paper, in portrait orientation, with horizontal text from left to right, and page numbers included.
2. Proposals must be written in Traditional Chinese, using BiauKai (標楷體) font, primarily in 12-point font size, single-spaced (no additional line spacing).
3. Any referenced materials must be clearly cited with their sources.
4. The proposal content must not exceed 20 pages. Additional supporting materials may be submitted as appendices and are not counted toward the page limit.
5. The combined file size of the proposal and all attachments must not exceed 10 MB.

IV. Grant Disbursement Mechanism

Grant funds for the Journalism Awards will be disbursed in three stages, according to the following process:

1. First Stage: upon contract signing or the official commencement of the project, 50% of the grant funds will be disbursed.
2. Second Stage: after the award recipient submits and passes the review of the interim progress report, 30% of the grant funds will be disbursed.
3. Third Stage: after the award recipient submits and passes the review of the final project report, the remaining 20% of the grant funds will be disbursed.
    

V. Monitoring and Evaluation Mechanism

1. An interim progress report must be submitted once the project has reached half of its execution period. For example, for a six-month project, the interim report must be submitted at the end of the third month.
2. A final project report must be submitted within one month after project completion. Please refer to the contract for the exact deadline.
3. The organizing body will review both the interim and final reports. If project progress falls short of expectations, the organizer may require improvements within a specified timeframe. Failure to meet requirements by the deadline may result in contract termination and suspension of further grant disbursements.
    

VI. Important Notes

1. Any changes to the approved project content must be submitted to and approved by the organizing body in advance.
2. If, during the submission or review process, a proposal is preliminarily deemed to involve significant concerns or potential legal disputes, the committee or reviewers may require the applicant to provide additional explanations or documentation. Failure to cooperate may result in disqualification.
3. If shortlisted or awarded projects are found to involve plagiarism or other serious legal violations, and such violations are verified, the committee reserves the right to revoke the shortlisted or award status and reclaim any grant funds already disbursed.
4. Upon receiving the award and completing the project, award recipients (individuals or groups) must submit complete project deliverables to the organizer and grant the organizer royalty-free, non-commercial usage rights, including but not limited to use in physical or digital publications, long-term archiving in the Wei Ming-Kuang Prize database, or display on official websites.

VII. Use of AI Technologies

In recognition that emerging technologies may assist journalistic work but should not replace its core practices, the Journalism Awards do not prohibit the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. However, applicants or award recipients must disclose the use of AI technologies, including but not limited to data collection, generative language systems, transcription services, image processing tools, and other related applications.