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İsveç'in Göteborg kentindeki GIJC23 katılımcıları. Fotoğraf: GIJN/Wolf France
İsveç'in Göteborg kentindeki GIJC23 katılımcıları. Fotoğraf: GIJN/Wolf France

Attendees of the GIJC23 in Gothenburg, Sweden. Image: GIJN/Wolf France

Editor’s Note: This guide was last updated by GIJN’s online producer, Leonardo Peralta, in April 2024.

Seeking a chance to improve your skills and expand your world? Tired of the everyday routine in your newsroom? Looking for funding for a dream project? It might be time to apply for a grant or a fellowship. There are plenty of short and long-term opportunities, both for staff and freelance reporters. Some opportunities might already be closed for this year, but we recommend you subscribe to our newsletter in order not to miss great opportunities.

Do you know of a great opportunity we haven’t listed? Write to us at GIJN. GIJN’s list is focused on opportunities available to international journalists. Also, see this GIJN article for advice on how to apply for grants.


GENERAL FELLOWSHIPS

Nieman Fellowships at Harvard University offer fellows a chance to study at the ivy league university for an academic year; Knight Visiting Nieman Fellowships, which last 12 weeks or fewer, are also available for project-based work that will advance journalism in some new way.

Who: Nieman fellowships require at least five years experience. No minimum experience for visiting fellowships; visiting fellows may be journalists or other professionals in positions that support journalism, such as publishers, programmers, or designers. In addition, The Nieman-Berkman Fellowship in Journalism Innovation brings individuals to Harvard University to work on a specific course of research or a specific project relating to journalism innovation.

Amount: US$85,000 stipend, paid over a nine-month period to cover living costs. The Nieman Foundation also provides a health insurance supplement and a childcare allowance for children 12 and younger.


John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford allows journalists to spend an academic year working on innovative projects.

Who: Journalists with at least five years experience. US and international journalists with digital-native and legacy news organizations, independent journalists, journalism entrepreneurs and journalism innovators.

Amount: US$125,000 stipend, and also covers books, tuition, housing, health care, travel expenses and childcare.


American Council on Germany Journalism Fellowships provide opportunities for a cross-cultural journalism exchange. The McCloy Fellowships on Global Trends allow American and German experts from journalism, the public sector, think tanks, nonprofits, law, and cultural organizations to research and assess the most pressing topics on the transatlantic agenda while engaging with their counterparts overseas. Anna-Maria and Stephen M. Kellen Fellowships provide an opportunity for exceptional Berlin-based print, broadcast, and digital media journalists to travel to the United States to conduct interviews with policymakers and opinion leaders and to conduct research for news reports.

Who: German or American reporters.

Amount: Varies.


Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship is a year-long program hosted by the University of Maryland and the US Department of State.

Who: Non-US journalists.

Amount: Tuition, fees, travel, book and computer allowance, and room and board.


The Fulbright Program offers research and teaching opportunities both for visiting US and non-US faculty and professionals.

Who: Faculty and experienced professionals in a wide variety of academic and professional fields. Journalists from some countries may be eligible for research Fulbrights in the US. Teaching Fulbrights are also available to those who serve on faculty at non-US universities.

Amount: Varies according to length of grant and location.


The Knight-Wallace Fellowships offer an academic year-long study program at the University of Michigan.

Who: 12 American and six international journalists with at least five years of experience.

Amount: $85,000 stipend plus $5,000 for relocation expenses.


Reuters Institute Fellowship Program offers journalists the chance to study and reflect at the University of Oxford in the UK.

Who: Experienced, mid-career journalists from any country. Must have a minimum of five years’ journalistic experience, or in rare cases demonstrate the equivalent level of expertise.

Amount: Fees covered plus a monthly stipend of £2,000, enough to cover the cost of accommodation, food, and general living expenses.


The Tarbell Fellowship is a one-year program for early-career journalists interested in covering artificial intelligence.

Who: The fellowship is open to rising journalism talent from around the globe. Some placements may require relocating to the US or the UK; fellows will be supported in acquiring visas to facilitate this.

Amount: Fellows secure a 9-month placement at a major newsroom, participate in a study group covering AI governance & technical fundamentals, and attend a journalism summit in San Francisco. The Tarbell Fellowship provides a stipend of up to $50,000 to support these placements.


Dalla Lana Fellowship in Journalism and Health Impact from the University of Toronto.

Who: Up to 20 Fellows from around the world, prior experience as a journalist is not necessary, but some specific qualities are.

Amount: C$12,000


The Reporting Award is offered annually by the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute of New York University to support a significant work of journalism in any medium on an under-reported topic in the public interest.

Who: Journalists with a substantial body of work and an under-reported project in the public interest already in progress. Ineligible to apply: journalists with staff positions at established media outlets able to fund such projects on their own. Open to journalists of any nationality.

Amount: Maximum award is US$12,500. The total award comprises of US$2,500 on the announcement of the winning proposal and up to an additional US$10,000 on completion of the project.


Yale World Fellows is a program for mid-career professionals to spend four months at the US ivy league school “to explore critical global issues and cross-disciplinary studies, sharpen leadership skills and build relationships with other emerging leaders.”

Who: 16 “rising stars” in technology, art, finance, politics, social entrepreneurship, journalism, advocacy and more. Open to non-US citizens of any age.

Amount: The Program provides fellows with a travel allowance, housing, healthcare, and a stipend to cover living expenses. Yale also pays for all costs associated with the educational and extracurricular aspects of the program.


ProPublica Investigative Editor Training Program is designed to help expand the ranks of editors with investigative experience in more newsrooms across the country, with a focus on people from underrepresented backgrounds.

Who: Open to all, but they especially encourage people from traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. As part of the application, participants will be asked how their inclusion in the program will help to diversify the editing ranks of investigative journalism. The ideal participants will have a minimum of five years of journalism experience, either as an editor or as a reporter primarily doing work with an investigative or accountability focus, a strong grasp of the basics of editing, storytelling, structure and framing, experience managing a team of journalists or a complicated multi pronged reporting project, and an accountability mindset: you don’t have to have been on an investigative team, but they are looking for people with an eye for watchdog reporting and editing.

Amount: ProPublica will cover participants’ expenses for meals, travel and lodging during the boot camp.


The Pudding Cohort is a summer fellowship geared towards current college or graduate-level students or recently-graduated applicants where you will have 10 weeks to author a project on The Pudding.

Who: Current college or graduate-level students or recently-graduated applicants. You should have a project that you want to work on and you want to level up your visual-led storytelling skills. There are no specific skill prerequisites, but they expect some background that you’ll bring to producing your projects; you don’t need prior experience with data, design, or coding.

Amount: Participants will receive $7,200 as a stipend for the 2024 cohort.


The Fellowship for Journalistic Excellence, from GIJN member the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN) has been providing journalists with editorial guidance and funding to pursue agenda-setting stories since 2007. Aimed at promoting the development of a robust and responsible press, the programme has helped shape journalistic standards across the region while boosting the careers of participating reporters.

Who: Journalists from Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia with demonstrable professional experience are eligible to apply. Applicants should have citizenship or permanent residence of one of the countries covered by the programme. BIRN will provide editorial support in English, so applicants should be proficient in English (speaking, reading and comprehension), although they may produce their stories in local languages.

Amount: Fellowship bursary of €3,000. In addition to this, awards are given to the three best stories at the end of the programme.


INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIPS

European Journalism Fellowships are for journalists from Eastern and Western Europe and the United States who want to spend two semesters engaging in research in Berlin. They are administered through the International Center for Journalism of the Freie Universitaet Berlin.

Who: 10 to 15 journalists from Eastern and Western Europe and the United States.

Amount: Tuition, plus a monthly stipend for living expenses based on fellowship level.


The European Collaborative Journalism Program is offered by GIJN member Arena for Journalism and the Toepfer Foundation and aims to provide know-how on collaborative cross-border journalism, strengthen network building and exchange among the participants, facilitate the exploration of a collaborative story, and reflect work practices. ECJP addresses journalists from all over Europe from all media, freelancers, and staffers alike. The group meets in spring at the Foundations seminar center at the Baltic Sea in Germany and in early summer at the Dataharvest Conference in Belgium. Deadline is in Dec/Jan each year.

Who: Junior and mid-career journalists from all over Europe, freelancers as well as staffers from all media who already have first experiences with collaborative journalism or firmly intend to work in this field.

Amount: All costs are covered by the foundation.


The Joan Shorenstein Fellowship Program is designed to bring journalists, scholars, politicians and policymakers to the Shorenstein Center for a semester to work on a project with a tangible output, and engage with students, faculty, other fellows, and the broader Harvard Kennedy School community. Deadline: Fall semester (September – December): March 15. Spring semester (February – May): September 7.

Who: Mid-to-late career professionals from a variety of related fields are welcome to apply.

Amount: Fellows receive a stipend, paid in monthly installments at the end of each month of their term. Travel, housing, and living expenses are not covered by the Shorenstein Center.


The Resilience Fellowship, managed by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime, is an initiative aimed at building a platform for cross-sectoral, global and interdisciplinary collaboration to counter the effects of organized crime.

Who: Ten fellows from various disciplines, including journalism. The selection criteria include six points, including being from a country disproportionately affected by organized crime, and fluency in at least one of the three languages: Spanish, English, and French.

Amount: Grants of US$15,000 per fellow will be awarded for one year. Fellows get together for a 10-day retreat.


ICFJ Knight International Journalism Fellowships are for journalism trainers to use digital tools “to instill a culture of news innovation and experimentation worldwide.” They are administered through the International Center for Journalists.

Who: Reporters with at least 10 years experience.

Amount: All travel costs (International & Domestic), health insurance, per diem & lodging.


World Press Institute Fellowship provides reporters from around the world the opportunity to travel for three months and learn about journalism in the United States.

Who: Non-US reporters working outside the United States with at least five years full-time employment in print, broadcast, or online journalism.

Amount: Travel costs, food and lodging. Fellowships are typically a minimum of one year, and may be extended by ICFJ depending on funding and the opportunity for greater impact.


Persephone Miel Fellowship is offered by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and provides an opportunity for reporters to work cross-borders.

Who: Open to all journalists, writers, photographers, radio producers or filmmakers, staff journalists, as well as freelancers and media professionals outside the US and Western Europe who are seeking to report from their home country but would like to broaden the reach of their reporting by publishing it in international outlets. Applicants must be proficient in English.

Amount: Up to US$5,000 for reporting costs.


Netherlands Fellowship Programmes are offered in various subjects by the Radio Nederland Training Centre (RNTC), a Netherlands-based training institute. Courses include Investigative Journalism, Narrative Journalism, and Using Media for Development.

Who: “Young and mid-career journalists, program-makers, print, and online media professionals as well as media trainers and senior managers.”

Amount: Varies.


Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowships are funded by the US Congress to support democratic activists, scholars, and journalists from around the world to undertake independent research on democratic challenges. Fellows spend five months in residence at the National Endowment for Democracy in downtown Washington, D.C.

Who: “Democracy activists, civil society leaders, human rights defenders, journalists, and others who work on the front lines of democracy.”

Amount: A monthly stipend, health insurance, office space, research support, and round-trip travel to Washington, DC. Financial aid is not available for family or other dependents.


Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships is a 30-year-old program placing talented international journalists in US newsrooms.

Who: Open to journalists from developing countries and emerging markets, 10 fellows will be selected.

Amount: The fellowship covers all costs of program-related international and domestic US travel, health insurance and provides a monthly stipend to cover basic living expenses.


Daniel Pearl Fellowship The six-month fellowship program is in conjunction with the Alfred Friendly Press Partners Fellowship (see above). In addition, the Daniel Pearl Fellows spend a week at The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles, where they work closely with Jewish colleagues.

Who: Journalists with three years of experience who are citizens of Muslim-majority countries (see further criteria on application page).

Amount: Living expenses for the duration of the six-month program.


Arthur F. Burns Fellowships offer opportunities for Americans, Canadians, and Germans to report and travel in each others’ countries. The program is managed by the International Center for Journalists, which also sponsors a US-Austrian journalism exchange.

Who: Open to US, Canadian, and German journalists between the age of 21-40, who are employed by a newspaper, news magazine, broadcast station, news agency, or who work as freelance and/or online reporters.

Amount: Each North American fellow will receive a $4,000 stipend to cover living expenses during the nine-week-long fellowship in Germany. Participants also receive $1,500 for travel expenses. The program also pays for living expenses during the orientation in Washington, D.C.


Google News Lab Fellowships offer students interested in journalism and technology the opportunity to spend the summer working at relevant organizations across the world.

Who: Available in the US, UK, South Korea, Germany, Australia, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Ireland.

Amount: Fellows receive a stipend and a travel budget during the 10-week program, which runs from June-August. Deadlines and eligibility requirements vary by country.


Sir Harry Evans Global Fellowship is a nine-month fellowship with Durham University which may be done in the UK, New York, or Toronto, and will include undertaking an investigative project from inside the Reuters newsroom in London, New York or Toronto, mentored by top Reuters editors in the field while being overseen by Durham University and having access to University academics and research resources. Deadline: usually in August.

Who: Early-career journalists, regardless of their current location.

Amount: The Fellowship has a monthly salary of around £4,444 per month (equivalent to a pro-rata salary of c.£53,333 per year). In addition, there is a monthly living stipend and travel and related expenses are covered.


Stigler Center Journalists in Residence Program at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business is open to journalists from around the world, working in all forms of media. It aims to shape the next generation of leaders in business reporting. The program will take place over 12 weeks at the Hyde Park campus, during which selected participants audit Chicago Booth classes, participate in events, collaborate with peers, and socialize with the university’s greatest scholars. Deadline: usually in October.

Who: Journalists with some years of media experience, proficient English, and an interest in deepening their knowledge and understanding of political economy are encouraged to apply.

Amount: Reimbursement for economy-class airfare to/from Chicago and SEVIS and visa application fees. It also includes a stipend of $14,000 to cover living expenses over the 12-week program.


RFE/RL offers five fellowships for talented journalists from its broadcast regions looking to refine their skills: RFE/RL’s Regional Reporting Fellowship, the Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship, the Jiri Dienstbier Journalism Fellowship, the Mahsa Zhina Amini Fellowship, and the Reza Haghighatnejad Investigative Reporting Fellowship.

Who: Varies depending on the fellowship.

Amount: Varies depending on the fellowship.


Free Press Unlimited offers several grants for journalists or media organizations. Keep an eye on their jobs section as new opportunities emerge.

Who: Depends on the program.

Amount: Depends on the program.


The Prague Civil Society Centre Fellowship Programme offers civil society leaders, journalists and activists a three-month stay in Prague to think, reset, network, explore new possibilities and work on their projects.

Who: Minimum age to apply is 25. Open to human rights activists, members of NGOs and civic groups, experts and researchers, environmental, cultural, and urban activists, media experts and journalists, who are citizens of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan. You can be either living in one of the countries or be based outside, and applicants should already have significant experience.

Amount: The Centre will cover travel expenses, provide a modest but comfortable apartment as well as a small daily allowance for living in Prague, and assist with obtaining a visa. You will also have access to a shared office space with internet and a printer.


Global South Fellowship, provided by One World Media, looks for talented journalists and filmmakers to join their next cohort. Applicants must be from and based in a global south country and working on a project that involves reporting from the global south.

Who: Early to mid-career filmmakers and journalists from the global south who are reporting on stories from the global south.

Amount: Year-long, remote programme of support and £1000 production grant.


WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIPS

Check out Chapter 4: Grants, Fellowships, and Awards for Female Journalists in GIJN’s Guide Resources for Women Journalists, we have compiled a list of grants and fellowships designed specifically for women and nonbinary reporters, and/or for stories about women.


SPECIALTY FELLOWSHIPS

GIJN Fellowships are available to attend the Global Investigative Journalism Conferences (GIJC). The call for the next Global Investigative Journalism Conference will be announced on the GIJN newsletter.

Who: Investigative journalists with a proven track record of digging out stories and data, who are based in developing or transitioning countries.

Amount: Airfare and hotel accommodations to the GIJC, which is held in a different city every two years. Recipients are responsible for their own meals and local transportation.


The Dag Hammarskjöld Fund for Journalists is a fellowship that offers a unique opportunity for promising young journalists from developing countries to cover deliberations of the United Nations General Assembly for approximately 10-12 weeks beginning in September each year. and to report on its proceedings for news media in their home countries.

Who: Career journalists, age 25-35, from nations of Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Oceania are eligible to apply. Freelance journalists are also eligible.

Amount: A modest daily stipend will be paid to each journalist.Travel expenses and lodging are covered.


Investigative Reporters and Editors Training Grants are fellowships and scholarships to allow professional journalists or students the chance to attend training events.

Who: Journalists and students who otherwise could not attend IRE training events.

Amount: Typically includes a one-year IRE membership, conference or seminar registration fees, and reimbursement for hotel and travel expenses.


Knight Science Journalism Academic Year at MIT offers an academic-year fellowship for reporters interested in deepening their knowledge of science and technology, and the craft of journalism.

Who: Full-time reporters with at least three-years experience covering science, health, technology and environmental reporting. English-language ability is needed.

Amount: US$85,000, relocation expenses, and basic health insurance for each fellow and their family.


EGU Science Journalism Fellowships are offered by the European Geosciences Union (EGU) for “innovative proposals to report on geoscientific research not yet in the public sphere.” The aim is to promote excellence in geoscience reporting.

Who: Professional, active journalists.

Amount: Up to €5000 to cover expenses related to their projects.


Innovation in Development Reporting Grant Program is offered by the European Journalism Centre with support by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The grant programme aims to advance creative reporting approaches, thus enabling a better coverage of international development issues. The grant intends to raise awareness about these issues by enabling the production of stories that have a strong impact on media audiences in the following European countries: France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Who: Open to both freelancers and newsrooms. There is no citizenship, nationality or residence/location restriction on the applicants as long as the final results are published in relevant media organizations with significant reach to audiences in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and/or the United Kingdom.

Amount: Average grant is €20,000.


Soros Justice Fellowships support outstanding individuals—including lawyers, advocates, grassroots organizers, writers, print and broadcast journalists, artists, filmmakers, and other individuals with distinctive voices—to undertake full-time projects that engage and inform, spur debate and conversation, change policy or practice, and catalyze change around the US criminal legal system at the local, state, and national levels.

Who: There are two fellowship tracks: Track I, which is for people at the earlier stages of their careers and who demonstrate the potential to develop into leaders and important voices in their respective fields; and Track II, which is for more experienced individuals with a proven record of achievement and expertise.

Amount: Track I comes with a grant of $100,000 over 18 months and Track II comes with a grant of $140,000 over 18 months (grants for both tracks are prorated for 12-month projects).


Knight-Bagehot Fellowship at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism offers an academic year of courses in business and economics journalism. Fellows spend two semesters at Columbia Journalism School and take most of their classes at Columbia Business School.

Who: Open to full-time editorial employees of newspapers, magazines, wire services, digital media and broadcast news organizations as well as to freelance journalists, with at least four years experience.

Amount: Receive full tuition, health insurance and $6,600 a month. Subsidized Columbia housing is also available.


Ochberg Fellowships by the Dart Center are offered to journalists from around the world who wish to deepen their knowledge of trauma and improve coverage of violence, conflict and tragedy for a week of seminars and conversations.

Who: Open to print, broadcast and digital reporters, photographers, editors and producers with at least five years of professional journalism experience.

Amount: covers roundtrip travel, 7 nights of lodging, meals and expenses directly related to participation such as ground transportation.


Kiplinger Fellowships are offered through Ohio State offer a one-week intensive training on a different issue every year.

Who: Reporters with at least five-years of experience. English-language ability.

Amount: Lodging, most meals and free training.


The Digital Whistleblowing Fund is a small-grant program that enables investigative journalism groups and human rights grassroots organizations to receive financial, operational and strategic support in starting a secure digital whistleblowing initiative, as part of their social mission.

Who: Organizations need to be part of, or explicitly endorsed/referred, by one of the following coalitions or networks members: Code for All, Free Press Unlimited (FPU), International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting (OCCRP), Transparency International (TI), and Whistleblowing International Network (WIN).

Amount: Up to 3.000 Euros plus “IT and advisory support.”


McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism offers editorial and financial support to journalists who need the time and resources to produce a significant investigative or enterprise story that provides fresh insight into an important business, financial or economic topic. They accept applications for in-depth text, audio and short-form video pieces, but not long-form documentaries. The McGraw Fellowship is not a residency Fellowship.

Who: Open to anyone with at least five years professional experience in journalism. They support work by freelance journalists, as well as by reporters and editors currently working at a news organization or a journalism non-profit. In the latter case, reporters and editors can apply directly in the name of their organization.

Amount: Fellows will receive up to US$15,000 and the editorial support needed to produce deeply reported enterprise and investigative stories that delve into critical economic, financial or business issues across a wide array of subjects. Deadline to apply is usually in March and October.


Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellowships invites proposals from people and institutions to collaborate “on innovative projects that strengthen democracy through better journalism.” There are two types of RJI Fellowships: residential and nonresidential or institutional.” The program is focused on creating accessible, free and innovative resources that address a current need, gap or challenge in journalism. Each fellow is expected to produce monthly articles, attend monthly meetings, visit RJI once with their fellowship cohort for training and sessions – and ultimately, launch a resource for journalists and newsrooms to utilize.

Who: There are no requirements for applying for a Fellowship. You can be located anywhere, currently employed in journalism or not, of any age or experience.

Amount: Residential fellows receive up to $100,000 which includes a living stipend and funding for project expenses through the institute. Nonresidential or Institutional fellows receive a $25,000 stipend, payable in increments as deliverables are met for each stage of the fellowship.


Transatlantic Media Fellowships program supports well-researched transatlantic journalism. The Heinrich Böll Foundation, Washington, DC will give a select number of journalists from the United States, Canada, and Germany the opportunity for on-the-ground reporting relevant to the foundation’s work on democracy & social policy, digital policy, foreign & security policy, and climate & energy policy. We accept applications for either travel-based or virtual research and reporting. The Fellowship is also offered to journalists from Africa and Latin America in order to expand our understanding of the Transatlantic. The focus for fellows from Africa and Latin America will be on Global Development Policy or Digital Policy issues related to the Global South and the USA/Germany.

Who: Journalists with a strong track record of publications who offer new perspectives on transatlantic policy debates. Fellowships are open to journalists in any medium.

Amount: For all applicants from North America and Germany, a stipend of $4,000 for an on-the-ground fellowship (including transatlantic travel), or a stipend of $1,500 for a digital fellowship (virtual interviews, no travel). For applicants from Africa or Latin America, the stipend is $5,000.


The Rest and Refuge Scholarship program run by Reporters Without Borders Germany and the taz Panter Foundation, a non-profit organization linked to die tageszeitung, the daily newspaper from Berlin. Journalists spend 6 months in Berlin. During their stay, the media professionals take time off from their daily obligations to recover from their difficult working conditions and to expand their personal and professional horizons. At the end of the six months, the fellows return to their home countries with renewed energy and fresh perspectives to continue their journalistic work.

Who: Two journalists from countries with restricted freedom of press and information

Amount: Visa and travel costs, furnished apartment in Berlin, travel health insurance for the six months spent in Berlin, monthly grant of €1000, psychological support, workshops (e.g. on digital safety training, stress management), and professional journalistic and/or personal training opportunities.


Early Childhood Development Reporting Fellowship by the Dart Center helps journalists improve news coverage of child health in their countries, while building a global network of reporters covering this critically important issue. These one-year fellowships provide mentoring from leading health journalists and access to experts on issues ranging from nutrition to early education.

Who: Open to English-speaking journalists covering issues of child health and development for news outlets based in Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania. Successful applicants must be employed by a news outlet or have a commitment from a news outlet to publish or broadcast the reporters’ coverage in order to participate. An ideal candidate will have previous experience covering early childhood development issues, but journalists who currently cover health or nutrition-related topics and are interested in increasing their coverage of children’s issues are welcome to apply.

Amount: During their year-long fellowship, journalists receive virtual training and mentoring, as well as financial support, to produce regular stories on nutrition and early-childhood development that are relevant to their home countries.


The Bertha Challenge sponsored by The Bertha Foundation, is an opportunity for activists and investigative journalists to spend a year focussing on one pressing social justice issue.

Who: “Mid-career journalists with at least five years experience and a track record and passion for doing investigative journalism.”

Amount: A non-residential paid fellowship and a project budget to work independently and together. Deadline is usually in June.


Ted Scripps Fellowships in Environmental Journalism is a flexible, non-degree program that allows fellows to tailor the resources to meet their needs and interests. The two-semester program begins in mid-August and continues through mid-May. During this period, fellows deepen their knowledge of the environment through courses, weekly seminars, and field trips. They also engage in independent study expected to lead to a significant piece of journalistic work.

Who: Five Ted Scripps Fellowships are awarded each year. The fellowship is open to full-time journalists working in any medium who are interested in advancing their knowledge of environmental issues. Applicants must have five years of full-time professional journalism experience and must also have a BA or BS college degree, at minimum. Applicants may include reporters, editors, producers, photojournalists, documentarians, and feature writers. Both salaried staff and full-time freelancers are welcome to apply. Prior experience in covering the environment is not required.

Amount: Fellows receive a stipend of $80,000 and will travel (expenses paid) to the Society of Environmental Journalists annual conference.


The JournalismAI Fellowship is a global, collaborative programme that brings together journalists and technologists from around the world to use artificial intelligence technologies to enhance journalism and its processes.

Who: Candidates working in news organizations anywhere in the world (although if you are outside of GMT-6 and GMT+8, it will be logistically challenging to participate fully). To take part in the programme, you need to have some experience working on products and/or stories that involve the use of AI technologies. Fluency in English is required.

Amount: GB£6,000 per project to support research and project development expenses. The money is not a stipend or compensation (you are not expected to leave your job to participate in the fellowship program).


The AI Journalism Lab is a new program developed by J+ at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY, with support from Microsoft. The Lab is an effort to involve journalists in finding ways to navigate and harness generative AI in ethical ways that reinforce trust from communities and increase impact, even as the technology is in its infancy.

Who: Journalists at all levels of management in editorial, business, audience or tech within news organizations or academia.

Amount: Flat travel stipend to New York.


GRANTS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STORIES

Collaborative Reporting Grants, provided by the Environmental Reporting Collective, are aimed at promoting collaborations to allow journalists from different countries to fill in gaps in each others’ reporting.

Who: At least two journalists working from two different countries or regions. Staff or freelance reporters are welcome to apply.

Amount: ERC will support a maximum of five reporting teams. The amount will be determined by your budget proposal to be discussed with ERC. Include a budget detailing your anticipated expenses. This may include fees for records requests, travel and lodging, and stipend for freelance reporters.


Non-SEJ Environmental Journalism Awards, Grants, Fellowships and Workshops are offered through the Society of Environmental Journalism for reporting projects and entrepreneurial ventures on issues around the environment.

Who: Depends on the grant or fellowship.

Amount: Depends on the grant or fellowship.


Science Immersion Workshop Fellowship for Journalists is a one-week training on environmental and science reporting offered through the Metcalf Institute in Rhode Island.

Who: Full-time professional early- to mid-career journalists who work in any medium or combination of media.

Amount: Fellows must pay all travel expenses up front and will receive travel reimbursement ($500 max within continental US, $1000 max outside of continental US). Lodging, meals and ground transportation during the in-person workshop are covered by Metcalf Institute.


The Fossil Fuel Grant Programme by the JournalismFund is aimed at cross-border teams of professional journalists and/or newsrooms to investigate and document unreported activities by European fossil fuel companies and their proxies within and beyond the continent. Next to investigations of fossil fuel industry activities that transcend borders, this programme can also support investigations that compare local industry activities or policies between two or more regions.

Who: Cross-border teams of at least two professional journalists and/or news outlets can submit a proposal for a journalistic investigation about an issue that concerns the environment and relates to geographic Europe.

Amount: The total available amount to be distributed among all supported investigations will be €50,000.


Earth Journalism Network (EJN) offers training, webinars and small grants for journalists and media-related organizations. The opportunities help reporters better cover the world’s most pressing environmental problems.

Who: Journalists (online, print, television) and other expert media practitioners with a track record of reporting on environmental issues. Freelancers and staff from all types of media outlets—both large and small—may submit applications.

Amount: Grants typically ranging from US$1,000 to US$2,000 depending on the proposal and method of coverage, with some flexibility for deep, investigative stories using innovative approaches to storytelling.


Investigative environmental journalism grants by GRID-Arendal, awards grants to investigative journalists working on various issues related to environmental crime.

Who: Proposals must come from professional journalists with experience in the field of investigative journalism.

Amount: The grant money is intended to support investigative journalists by covering costs related to an investigation (travel, document retrieval, interviews etc.).


REPORTING GRANTS

Freelance Investigative Reporters and Editors (FIRE) functions as a service bureau for freelance  investigative reporters. Through a combination of grants, reporting tools, and contract-related legal assistance, FIRE has helped more than 200 freelancers report stories..

Who: FIRE supports freelance journalists producing investigative reporting for English-language periodical outlets. Applicants may reside or report from or anywhere internationally, regardless of citizenship.

Amount: FIRE’s Virtual Newsroom program provides extensive reporting services, along with grants of up to $12,500, most ranging from $5,000 to $10,000. FIRE also offers two smaller stipends: “Proposal Grants” to develop an initial story pitch for a commission or funding; and “Indemnification Grants” to subsidize the reporter’s time to find a publisher or broadcaster that accepts full story liability.


The Fund for Investigative Journalism offers grants for individual story research and reporting.

Who: Freelancers, book authors, and other professional journalists for projects on US and international issues. The judges look for stories that break new ground and expose wrongdoing – such as corruption, malfeasance, or misuse of power. The Fund board meets three times per year to consider proposals. Stories must have a US angle and be published in English.

Amount: FIJ grants average about US$5,000 each, largely for out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, document collection, and equipment rental. The Fund also considers requests for small stipends.


European Cross-border Grants Programme by the Journalismfund Europe, aims to address the shortage of independent journalism by providing grants to investigative journalism projects in Europe and encouraging cross-border collaboration.

Who: Teams of journalists and/or independent media from at least two countries in Europe are eligible to apply. At least 80% of your requested budget should go to journalists/media from EU countries.

Amount: Varies.


The Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists (FWJ), by the International Women’s Media Foundation, supports journalists and journalism projects including, but not limited to, professional development opportunities, investigative reporting and media development initiatives led by women and nonbinary people.

Who: Freelance and staff journalists of any nationality may apply.

Amount: Approximately $230,000 will be disbursed each year. Grant sizes will depend on the proposal and the inclusion of a detailed budget.


TypeInvestigations gives grants for investigative projects. Multiple foundations support the effort, which was formerly called The Investigative Fund. TypeInvestigations “incubates high-impact investigative reporting that holds the powerful accountable.”

Who: “We work with independent investigative reporters to produce deeply reported journalism that we publish in partnership with a wide variety of print, broadcast and digital media outlets.”

Amount: Varies.


Leonard C. Goodman Institute for Investigative Reporting offers story-specific grants for investigative features and series to be published in In These Times magazine and website.

Who: They consider proposals on any investigative topic.

Amount: Up to $10,000 to cover the story fee and living expenses.


The Pulitzer Center partners with individual journalists and news organizations to support in-depth, high-impact reporting projects. It provides support through short-term grants and yearlong reporting fellowships.

Who: Freelance and staff journalists worldwide.

Amount: Depends on the specific project.


The Rainforest Journalism Fund, a Pulitzer Center initiative, supports reporting on tropical rainforests in the Amazon Basin, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia.

Who: Journalists reporting on rainforests

Amount: Most grants fall in the range of $8,000 to $15,000, but depending on project specifics, such as expenses for technology or consultancy, these rates may be higher.


Africa-China Reporting Grants are available from the Africa-China Reporting Project, hosted at the Wits Centre for Journalism of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and it aims to improve the quality of reporting on African and Africa-China issues by providing facilitation and capacity building for journalists via reporting grants, skills training workshops and other opportunities.

Who: Professional journalists with ideas for in-depth investigative projects around specific themes including: Infrastructure, mining, Investment, migrants, media, science and technology, environment, conservation and wildlife.

Amount: Grants are generally between $300 and $1,500.


The Europe-Ukraine Desk by n-ost offers grants to journalists for producing and publishing high-quality, in-depth, underreported stories that focus on Ukraine.

Who: The program is open to journalists from the project’s participating countries: Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Spain, and Ukraine. Applicants are expected to form teams of at least two members, and submit one application per team for a single project.  It is necessary for the team to include at least one journalist from the EU and one journalist from Ukraine.

Amount: The maximum grant amount that can be requested by an applicant’s team is €5,000.


Mongabay provides opportunities for journalists around the world to report on key environmental and conservation stories. As a global news outlet, Mongabay is organized into regional editorial teams that commission and assign stories associated with multiple Special Reporting Projects.

Who: Journalists who want to work on environmental stories.

Amount: Varies according to project.


The Science Fund for Investigative Reporting is sponsored by Science magazine to support “ambitious projects in investigative reporting and data journalism… We’re eager to tell stories about the scientific community and its practices, the influence of money and politics in science, and science-related public policy that can only be brought to light through extensive reporting, documents, and data.”

Who: They welcome proposals from journalists with a track record of high-impact reporting.

Amount: Compensation for the writer will be negotiated based on the scope of the project.


The European Development Journalism Grants programme supports journalistic media organizations with its year-long reporting projects about global development topics.

Who: The projects must be completed in one of the official languages of the five eligible countries, i.e. France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Amount: Varies depending on the project.


The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has different opportunities for journalists every year. It is anchored in the recognition of the key role of independent media in open societies and the power of information in the modern world.

Who: Varies for each program.

Amount: Varies for each program.


IJ4EU supports cross-border investigative journalism in Europe with direct funding to collaborative projects through two grant schemes.

Who: Depends on the program.

Amount: Depends on the program.


DOCUMENTARY GRANTS

The IDFA Bertha Fund is dedicated to stimulating and empowering the creative documentary sector in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Oceania. Several schemes are available.

Who: Varies depending on the scheme.

Amount: Varies depending on the scheme.


Doc Society is a global non-profit founded in 2005 committed to enabling great documentary films and connecting them to audiences globally. They offer several funding opportunities to documentary filmmakers with the goal of stimulating the production and distribution of non-fiction narratives that help understand the issues at hand and worldbuild for the futures we need and deserve.

Who: Varies according to the program.

Amount: Varies according to the program.


Tribeca Film Institute provides funding, mentorship, and networking opportunities for entry- to mid-level filmmakers.

Who: Varies according to the program.

Amount: Varies according to the program.


OTHER GRANTS

National Endowment for Democracy (NED) makes each year more than 2,000 grants to support the projects of nongovernmental groups abroad who are working to advance democratic goals and strengthen democratic institutions in more than 100 countries, and also provides several fellowship opportunities.

Who: Depends on the grant or fellowship.

Amount: Depends on the grant or fellowship.


NOTE: We’ve targeted this list to investigative journalists. For a comprehensive listing of fellowships for journalists and journalism students generally, see the Opportunities section at IJNet (and search “fellowships”). For a list of grants and calls for proposals in media development, check the Funding Opportunities page of the Global Forum For Media Development.

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