Upcoming deadlines for grants, workshops and other opportunities for media workers
Scroll to discover opportunities for media workers, practitioners, researchers and journalists. All opportunities are in chronological order and separated into PMA-specific, Featured and Month-by-Month sections.
Good luck!
PMA Projects & Workshops
Register, watch and take part
PSM Unpacked: A new forum for PMA members
The Public Media Alliance is running a new series of thematic roundtable forums, exclusive to PMA members around the world.
Media experts discuss the impacts of COVID-19 on the Southeast Asian media landscape
Media experts discuss the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on media freedom, journalist safety and media business viability in Southeast Asia.
Inaugural event: Improving Conflict Sensitive Reporting and Journalist Safety in South Asia
Join us for the inaugural session of our conflict sensitive reporting and safety of journalists in South Asia workshop.
Meet the fellows of our conflict sensitive reporting and safety of journalists in South Asia workshop
Meet the fellows of the upcoming IPDC/PMA/MAN virtual workshop on conflict-sensitive journalism and the safety of journalists.
Webinar: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Southeast Asia Media Landscape
Register now for our webinar on the impact of COVID-19 on media freedom, journalist safety and media viability in Southeast Asia.
Projet : Protéger les journalistes en Haïti et lutter contre la désinformation et la mésinformation pendant une pandémie
Nous sommes heureux d'annoncer notre prochain projet de renforcement des capacités des journalistes en Haïti.
Events
Browse upcoming public media events and dates of interest
Month by month
Upcoming deadlines, workshops and opportunities
IJ4EU’s Investigation Support Scheme
Deadline: 4 October 2021
IJ4EU’s Investigation Support Scheme provides grants of between €5,000 and €50,000 to support cross-border investigative projects. This scheme expects to provide €835,000 in grants in 2021. It is managed by the International Press Institute (IPI).
Projects on all topics will be considered. This includes, but is not limited to, corruption, illicit enrichment and financial crime; security, democracy and human rights; environment and climate change; health, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
[Text sourced from IJ4EU]
EBU offers new AI courses for developers and journalists
Deadline: 8 October
The EBU Academy, in collaboration with EBU Technology & Innovation, is introducing two new courses that aim to give developers and media professionals the knowledge and hands-on experience they need to make use of AI technologies in media services offerings.
One of the new courses specifically targets software engineers and product owners, while the other caters to journalists and content producers. Both are structured around specific use-cases and tailored to the skill levels and needs of their respective audiences.
The course is held online and consists of four live virtual modules of two hours each, with contributions from prominent experts and lecturers such Tom van de Weghe from Belgian broadcaster VRT.
[Text sourced from EBU]
Global Media Competition on Labour Migration
Deadline: 15 October
In its seventh annual Global Media Competition, the International Labour Organization (ILO) is inviting professional and student journalists to submit stories about labour migration, with a particular focus on issues related to domestic workers and the impact of COVID-19 on labour migration and fair recruitment.
‘Three professional prizes and one student prize will be awarded. Winners can choose between a cash prize of USD1,200 in the professional category and USD500 in the student category, or a paid fellowship to participate in an online ITC-Turin fair recruitment, or labour migration course in 2022.’
“Audio storytelling for journalists: How to tell stories on podcasts, voice assistants, social audio, and beyond”
Course dates: 18 October – 14 November
The Knight Centre is offering a new four-week, online class ‘on the fundamentals of audio storytelling, from finding a focus, to writing and interviewing, to voice performance.’ The course instructor is Tamar Charney of National Public Radio (NPR).
CALL FOR PROPOSALS: Pilot Project “A European public sphere: a new online media offer for young Europeans”
Deadline: 21 October
‘This Call for Proposals implements the second EP Pilot Project “A European public sphere: a new online media offer for young Europeans”. Similar to last year, it seeks proposals of consortia gathering at least 5 media organisations from at least 5 EU Member States, to produce daily, thought-provoking content from across Europe around current affairs, particularly targeting young Europeans.’
[Text sourced from the European Commission]
Investigation grants available for environmental journalism
Deadline: 27 October
This grant programme supports cross-border teams of professional journalists and/or news outlets to conduct investigations into environmental affairs related to Europe. The total available amount per call to be distributed among all supported investigations will be around €400,000.
[Text sourced from Journalismfund.eu]
Global grants available for science journalism
Deadline: 30 October
The World Federation of Science Journalism (WFSJ) launched the Spark Grant Initiative (SGI), which is accepting proposals for projects that enhance the boundaries of science journalism at every level and applies novel approaches, novel tools, knowledge sharing, international cooperation and ideas.
Special consideration will be given to projects that strengthen the cooperation between science journalists’ communities in different countries or designed as demonstration projects that others might emulate.
[Text sourced from IJNet]
Enabling Services Grants for Environmental Journalism
Deadline: 3 November
This grant facility supports enabling activities and supporting services for environmental investigative journalism as a whole. It seeks to promote collective development and support services for environmental investigative journalism, by providing funding to project ideas from organisations and institutions for training and professional development programmes, i.e. skills-focused professional training or fellowship programmes targeted at enabling investigative journalists to upskill with regards to reporting on environment related issues. The total available amount per call to be distributed among all supported projects will be around €85,000.
[Text sourced from Journalismfund.eu]
EUROPEAN CROSS-BORDER GRANTS
Deadline: 4 November
This awarded European Cross-Border Grant programme (running since 2009) will support professional journalists who have good ideas for cross-border investigations and for research on European topics. The stories must be relevant to European target groups.
These are projects that have great news value and depth, and at the same time are original, innovative and time-consuming, and would not be realised without financial support. Projects can include cross-border research, networking between colleagues, and established and innovative investigative methods.
Journalismfund.eu supports costs related to journalistic research for all media. This can include travel, translation, access to pay-databases or simply time to research. We do not support fixed costs such as office costs, investments such as cameras or computers or production costs.
[Text sourced from Journalismfund.eu]
PRIX JEUNESSE INTERNATIONAL 2022 – Festival and Competition
Deadline: 9 December 2021
Prix Jeunesse is the central place for promoting excellence in television for young people worldwide – exchanging ideas, best practices and innovations. This year’s festival theme is ‘Listen to kids TV: The power of sound’. Participants in the industry will discuss and celebrate audio and sound in children’s television. However, competition organisers emphasise that entries do not have to be connected to the festival theme.
The festival will take place on 10-15 June 2022 in Munich, Germany.
Digital Journalism Course from Reuters and Facebook Journalism Project
Reuters, in partnership with the Facebook Journalism Project, has launched a course on digital journalism. The free online course offers training in digital newsgathering, verification and publishing skills, along with access to wellness and resilience resources.
Free online course on vaccine reporting
Vaccines have become a household conversation. But often the talk is inaccurate and full of fear. Quality vaccine journalism ‘talks’ to people. It answers their questions and addresses their doubts. Let’s Talk Vaccines takes you on a journey of discovery from evolving vaccine science to how to hold governments to account to ensure all people get access to a COVID-19 vaccine, and on to strategies to address vaccine misinformation.
[Text sourced from Internews]
Beyond survival? A new Human Resources research project for PMA members
Our new project aims to develop people management strategies to ensure the development and growth of PSMs in the fragmented digital media landscape.
In an exciting new research project, the Public Media Alliance (PMA) has partnered with Peter Block from the University of Westminster’s Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI), to launch a project that will review the processes by which participating PSM’s manage the employer-employee relationship during the employment life-cycle.
The purpose is to highlight issues for the sector at large, identify common themes of staff development needs, and offer some practical recommendations for good practice to the PMA community.
BFI Young Audiences Content Fund
The BFI is administering a three-year pilot fund of £57 million, derived from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), to help expand the children’s content industry in the UK.
The Fund seeks to support public service broadcasting content aimed at audiences under 18 with the creation and development of new programmes which include PSB values by reflecting UK identity and children’s lives (both regionally and nationally), educating and informing audiences as well as representing more diversity and alternative voices.
‘Production and development awards will contribute to the funding of programmes, shown on television and online platforms, that have public service broadcasting values in live-action and animation and across all genres.’
[Text from BFI]
Collaborative Operations and Services Grant Program [US based]
Organised by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), “The Collaborative Operations and Services (“COS”) grant program is intended to support multistation initiatives to fully develop and implement collaborations, strategic alliances and other forms of partnerships that will increase stations’ abilities and capacities to achieve more together than each can accomplish alone.
The COS will provide smaller grants to assist stations with facilitation, analysis, and research (“FAR”) required for establishing parameters for collaboration efforts (see details below), as well as larger grants for the implementation of serious collaborative efforts.”
[Text sourced from CPB]
Course on diversity in the news and newsrooms
Ongoing
This MOOC, from the Knight Center in partnership with the Google News Initiative, provides four weekly modules from 11 January to 7 February, 2021. This instructor-led course aims to explore how diversity can transform journalism by democratising the profession from within. Over the course’s duration, participants will learn about strategies to diversify newsrooms and retain talent and tools to work on stereotypes and racial biases which may colour news coverage. You can still access this course as a self-enrolled student.
Coverage of the COVID-19 Vaccine: What Journalists Need to Know
The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas has made their free, Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) available indefinitely for journalists who are interested in improving their coverage on COVID-19 and vaccines. The self-directed, self-paced course is available in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.
Data Journalism Grant
The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, a non-profit organization that supports independent global journalism, is seeking applications for innovative data-driven journalism projects that spotlight under reported issues. This opportunity is open to all newsrooms and independent journalists in the United States and abroad.
[Text sourced from Pulitzer Center]
Disinformation and fact-checking in times of COVID-19 in Latin America and the Caribbean (Spanish)
Online
“Aimed at journalists and communicators in general, this free training is open to anyone interested in the subject, especially journalism teachers and students. In four weeks, instructor Cristina Tardáguila will explain the origins of fact-checking in journalism and teach the tools necessary to discredit fake news in these times of pandemic.” You can still access this course as a self-enrolled student.
[Text sourced from Knight Center]
The Knight Center offers many other journalism courses. Explore them here.
First Jobs Fund
The Journalists’ Charity recently launched a fund for new journalists starting out in the field. “The fund will offer support with essential costs such as accommodation, moving home, transport and essential work-related equipment.”
Funding available for Black journalists [US based]
The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) and Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund are providing two emergency funding opportunities. The Black Journalists Therapy Relief Fund is designed to provide financial assistance for Black journalists who are unable to pay for mental health support. The IWMF’s United States Journalism Emergency Fund may address needs related to work, such as medical aid, destroyed or stolen equipment and protective gear; or long-term needs such as trauma, mental health services and referrals to legal support. Applicants must be working journalists and must provide proof of their financial need.
[Text sourced from IJNet]
ICFJ Knight Fellowships
The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) is looking for outstanding journalists with a background in digital journalism, training or coaching, to work “in key areas of innovation such as newsroom transformation, entrepreneurship and business models, technology creation and adoption, diverse voices in news, investigative reporting, digital security and specialized reporting on health, gender and development.”
“Fellowships are typically a minimum of one year, and may be extended by ICFJ depending on funding and the opportunity for greater impact. Fellowship projects must produce measurable results.”
Proposals for fellowships are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year but there are other opportunities to apply for that can be found on the website.
[Text from ICFJ]
“The Assistance Desk of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) provides financial and administrative assistance to professional journalists and citizen-journalists who have been the victims of reprisals because of their reporting.” Individuals, NGOs and media outlets can apply for support.
[Text sourced from RSF]
Ongoing
The Chilean digital magazine Puroperiodismo, is inviting journalists, developers, designers and innovators residing in Latin America and the Caribbean to participate in this project.
Media professionals who are currently exploring new technologies, approaches to reporting, developing an app or similar are encourage to talk about it in the magazine.
Entries are on an ongoing basis
International Reporting Grants
The Pulitzer Center’s International Reporting grants support reportage on topics of global importance. Grants are open to reporters, photographers, radio/audio journalists, television/video journalists, and documentary filmmakers. COVID-19 projects are currently being prioritised as well as other projects that can be completed in the near term without much travelling.
IWMF – Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists
The Howard G. Buffet Fund for Women Journalists, established by the International Women’s Media Foundation, provides funding to promote and advance the work of woman-identifying journalists in the news media globally. The fund accepts applications on a rolling basis. Teams of journalists may apply but the submission must be from a woman journalist and her team must include at least 50% women.
NPR Story Lab
“The NPR Story Lab is looking for great ideas. In fact, we’re an idea hub – generating new segments for our news programs, creating radio shows, and launching new podcasts. We want to collaborate with member stations and independent producers. We want to work with new talent that brings a fresh perspective to NPR. We want to keep innovating and leading in the podcast and radio world. The NPR Story Lab is a true creative studio at the heart of NPR, one that fosters experimentation and continues to evolve the sound of public radio. Tell us your ideas, and let’s make stuff!”
Are you interested in submitting your story or pitching a programme idea to America’s foremost public radio station? NPR are accepting applications on a rolling basis. Get involved via the link below.
OPEN Media Hub offers free online courses [Eastern Europe, MENA]
Journalists, media managers and other media professionals can take self-directed courses in English, French, Arabic and Russian. The OPEN Media Hub provides e-learning courses as a part of the support for media professionals in the countries of the European Neighborhood, including Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa. Topics range from media management and content production to media coverage of migration and COVID-19. All courses are free of charge and permanently open. Certificates are available to users who successfully complete them.
[Text sourced from IJNet]
Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa
Deadline: Ongoing
“OSIEA plays an active role in encouraging open, informed dialogue on issues of importance in Eastern Africa. Through a combination of grant making, advocacy and convening power, OSIEA is able to support and amplify the voices of pro-democracy organizations and individuals in the region and to strengthen their capacity to hold their governments accountable. This includes efforts to defend and support rights activists and pro-democracy advocates who come under attack for their work. ”
The eligibility criteria includes supporting projects based around media and access to information. The OSIEA is available to both organisations and individuals.
Interested grant seekers should consult the OSIEA website for more information on eligibility and application guidelines.
Pitching Investigative Documentaries – GIJN
The Global Investigative Journalism Network (IGJN) launched a collaborative network during a GIJN webinar. This is a platform where pitches for investigative documentaries and long-form productions about Covid-19 can be submitted and passed onto several public broadcaster production teams including BBC Africa, BBC Arabic, CBC Canada, PBS Frontline and RTS in Switzerland as well as Premières Lignes, an independent French TV production and news agency that has worked with France Télévisions.
Submit your pitch here:
Press Freedom Accountability Project grant funding [US based]
Following recent attacks on and intimidation of journalists in the United States, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is partnering with the News Leaders Association (NLA) to provide journalists with grants between $2,000 and $5,000 to “support reporting on press freedom violations and accountability.”
Rainforest Journalism Fund
Deadlines: Rolling
The Pulitzer Center has a number of grants available under its Rainforest Journalism Fund — the International Rainforest Journalism Fund; the Amazon Rainforest Journalism Fund; the Congo Basin Rainforest Journalism Fund; and the Southeast Asia Rainforest Journalism Fund. The fund represents a major investment in international environmental and climate reporting. Through the Pulitzer Center, the Rainforest Journalism Fund plans to support nearly 200 original reporting projects over the five years’ existence of the Fund, along with annual regional conferences designed to raise the level of reporting on global tropical rainforest issues such as deforestation and climate change and produce stories that make an impact.
[Text sourced from Pulitzer Center]
Rory Peck Trust Assistance Grants for Freelance Journalists
The Rory Peck Trust provides assistance to freelance journalists and their families around the world. Applicants must be able to receive a grant from a British registered charity.
Rory Peck Trust Training Fund for Freelance Journalists
The Rory Peck Training Fund provides training to freelance journalists to equip them with the essential skills and knowledge needed to work in difficult and potentially dangerous situations. The training fund is available to freelancers who have worked in newsgathering and/or current affairs for a minimum of 18 months. Priority is given to those who work in hostile environments and to those with confirmed assignments.
The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Grants
Deadline: Ongoing
The Pulitzer Center has published an advisory note to all new applicants in light of Covid-19. Please read here.
The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting offers several ongoing grants “to support in-depth, high-impact reporting on topics of global importance, including investigations of systemic problems that are often overlooked by mainstream U.S. media.” These include the International Reporting Grant, Rainforest Journalism Fund and Bringing Stories Home: Local Reporting Grants. Freelance and staff journalists from news outlets can apply.
Find out how to apply and the other grants available via the link below:
The Self-Investigation: A free online stress management program for journalists
In partnership with the ICFJ, Open News and the Online News Association, “The self-investigation is a free online program designed to support journalists with knowledge and evidence-based practices they can use to relate to stress and digital overload in a healthier way. This is an opportunity to get access to ongoing support from professionals so you can feel more balanced and tap into your innate resilience. The English language edition will take place over four weeks in July.”
[Text sourced from The Self-Investigation]
Training: Online Courses for Media Professionals
Deadline: Ongoing
A selection of online tutorials created by the European Journalism Centre and supported by the Google News Initiative.
The diverse new set of courses include ‘Where to hire a data journalist’; ‘Python for journalists’ as well as “Google Search for Journalists”; “Verification: the basics” and “Managing Data Journalism Projects” among many others.
All courses are free and vary in difficulty. Courses can be completed at the participant’s preferred pace.
Transatlantic Media Fellowship
Ongoing
European media representatives are invited to apply for this fellowship, which will give them the chance to travel across the United States and expand on their knowledge of America and its citizens.
Organized by the Transatlantic Media Network (TMN), the goal of this fellowship is to strengthen the existing transatlantic relationship and improving mutual understanding among journalists and media professionals of both sides of the Atlantic.
The visiting journalists will follow an individual itinerary, created on their skills and interests, which will take them mostly around Washington DC and to visit TMN’s partner institutions, such as universities and journalism schools.
The fellowships may have a different duration but they will all be up to three months.
Poynter hosts online course on trust building
Journalists who want to learn strategies to earn their communities’ trust can take this course.
Poynter offers the self-directed, online course “How any journalist can earn Trust.”
The training is divided into 10 modules: perceptions of news; tell your audience who you are, explain your ethics and values; transparency: why it’s important and how to do it day-to-day; building trust into beats; engaging with your audience; separate opinion content from news; connecting revenue to trust; build trust by helping people navigate the news; and next steps.
[Text sourced from IJNet]
Last updated on 1 October 2021.
If you have any suggestions for grants applications and other opportunities please email PMA at editor@publicmediaalliance.org.