What
Upcoming deadlines for global grants applications and other opportunities
This selection is aimed at media workers, practitioners, researchers and journalists. More information can be found by following the links under each summary.
All opportunities are in chronological order.
Good luck!
Remember to check out our annual Travel Bursary scheme.
BIRN Summer School of Investigative Reporting (Scholarship)
Deadline: 15 July
Experienced investigative journalists from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia with at least three years of experience are invited to apply for the annual summer school organised by BIRN, which focuses on investigative reporting. Experts, trainers and editors will teach course members investigative tips and tricks, how to dig for data, how to best present a story and much more.
The school also welcomes application from editors interested in encouraging investigative reporting in their media outlets, international correspondents, representative of higher education institutions who seek to incorporate investigative journalism in their curricula, and representative of organisations currently involved in fighting against organised crime and corruption.
Applicants must supply a sample of their work translated in English, which will be the working language of the summer school.
Scholarships are available for qualifying candidates, on the basis of merit and need. These might also cover up to €100 in travel costs. In addition, three best story ideas will be awarded funds up to €3,000.
Online free workshop on covering LGBTQ+ (Latin America)
Deadline: 19 July
The organisation Agencia Presentes will offer a free online workshops for journalists based and reporting in Latin America, with two virtual meetings in the third and fourth week of July. The aim is to better report and analyise LGBTQ+ issues and stories as a way to fight discriminations.
→ MORE INFO & APPLICATION (Spanish)
Call for research: Technology, Inequality, and Information Policy
Deadline: 31 July
The Media Inequality Change (MIC) Center welcomes research proposals that explore the connections between inequality and technology, with a specific focus on journalism. The call is open to both insitutions and individuals, and encourages collaborations across organizations, including non-traditional approaches.
Proposals should be 2-3 pages long, can involve a vaeriety of methodologies and should be for a 2-4 months. Successful proposals will be awarded small grants of US$1,500-5,000.
AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards
Deadline: 1 August
These awards, endowed by the Kavli Foundation recognises outstanding reporting on sciences, engineering, and mathematics. Categories include print (large and small newspapers, magazines) audio, video, online and children’s science. In order to be eligible, entries must have been published between July 16, 2017 until July 15, 2018. Submissions in foreign languages are allowed but they must include an English translation.
There will be two awards for each category, a Gold and a Silver respectively worth US$5,000 and US$3,500. One of the winners for each award will receive contribution towards the travel expenses to attend the awards ceremony in February 2019 in Washington.
Investigative Reporting Grant
Deadline: 5 August
Organized by the Interationa Centre for Journalism (ICFJ) in collaboration with the Investigative Reporting Initiative in the Americas (IRIA) project and Connectas, this grant wants to encourage and strengthen independent and quality journalism in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Priority will be given to collaborative proposals and individuals who are thinking of collaborating with other journalists or expand on previous investigations.
Candidates must be from any of the following countries: Candidates must be journalists working in the following countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Santa Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela.
Successful proposals will receive a reporting grant ranging from $250 to $2,000 USD to be used solely for the purposes of the investigative reporting project, as well as feedback and support.
African Fact-checking Awards
Deadline: 15 August
This African Fact-Checking Awards yearly honour African-based journalism that exposes disinformation and false claims by public figures and institutions.
Work submitted for consideration must expose a misleading or wrong claim in the continent and must be either published or broadcast between 1 September 2017 and 15 August 2018.
Winners of the best fact-checking report and series will each take a prize of US$2,000, with two runners-up will be awarded prizes of US$1,000 each. . The winner of best fact-checking report by a student journalist will receive US$1,000 and the runner-up US$500.
Poynter-NABJ leadership academy
Deadline: 17 August
This is a free leadership programme that seeks to train journalists of colour working in digital media to enhance their skills and address the issues the face in digital journalism and technology organisations, organised by Poynter and the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ).
This interactive academy will last for a week and will cover topics such as developing effective management styles, building collaborative teams, emerging technologies, audience engagement and much more. All participants will receive one-to-one coaching and create a personal leadership strategy.
25 U.S. based journalists of colour will be selected, giving preference to emerging leaders who are currently working in digital media and who can demonstrate a potential for leadership through current projects and references. There will be a limited number of travel stipends available.
Reporting on Vulnerable Children (US)
Deadline: 3 September
The Thomson Reuters Foundation is offering an intensive 1.5 day course which will provide participants with the opportunity to strenghten coverage of domestic and international strategies to protect children. Journalists across the US working in English media outlets can apply but need to have at least five year’s professional experience and an intereest in the topic.
The course will take place in New York City on 10 – 11 September on on the West Coast on 13 – 14 September. The Foundation will cover travel and subsistence costs.
Malawi Radio Reporting Awards
Deadline: 7 September
Organised by the the Malawi Economic Justice Network (MEJN) and the Social Accountability Media Initiative (SAMI) these awards are specially for community radio programmes that investigate the impact of procurement, distribution and use of primary textbooks for primary schools in Malawi.
Programmes submitted for consideration should last between 15 and 30 minutes and build upon each other in a linear way. Scripts have to be included, and be sent in person, via mail or electronically. Entries must have been broadcast between May 1 and August 31 2018, in either English, Chichewa or any other local language.
There are four awards available of US$600, US$400 and US$250, respectively.
UNCA Awards
Deadline: 15 September
Journalists and media organisations from all around the world who have been covering the work of the United Nations, its agencies and field operations are invited to apply for this award. There are three awards available for print and online coverage, broadcast (TV & Radio) media, and for the coverage of sustainable issues, climate change, biodiversity and water.
The work submitted must be published between September 2017 and August 2018. Entries can be written in any of the official UN languages (English, French, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, and Russian) but they need to be accompanied by a transcript in English or French.
The prizes total over US$60,000 that will be distributed among the winners, which will be announced at the awards ceremony in December in New York.
ICFJ Knight Fellow, Data Journalism, Central/Eastern Europe
Deadline: Rolling basis
The International Center for Journalists seeks outstanding applicants with a strong background in data journalism for a one-year ICFJ Knight Fellowship to promote data-driven reporting techniques in Central and Eastern Europe. The Fellow will work with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), which supports a network of investigative journalism centers around the region that specialize in uncovering organized crime and large-scale corruption in government and industry.
→ MORE INFORMATION & APPLICATION
Fellowship to Report on Global Religion Issues
Deadline: Ongoing
The International Reporting Project (IRP) is welcoming applications from professional journalists who wish to report on religion issues worldwide.
The time spent in the destination country of choice is flexible. However, fellowships usually last between two and seven weeks. The organization encourages stories in a variety of forms, including print, online, radio, photography, video, social media etc. Applications which seek to explore new territories and countries are preferred.
The wider topic of religion issues can be related to themes such as conflict and peace, environment, political economy, health, gender, migration, law and more.
Applications are reviewed in cycles on a rolling basis.
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.
Innovative Ibero-American Journalism
Deadline: 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
→ MORE INFORMATION (IN SPANISH)
Individual Support
Deadline: Ongoing
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.
→ MORE INFORMATION & APPLICATION
The Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting: Travel Grants Programme
Deadline: Ongoing
Fund for international travel costs associated with reporting projects on topics and regions of global importance, with an emphasis on issues that have gone unreported or under-reported in the mainstream American media. The amount of individual travel grants will depend on the specific project and detailed budget planning. Most awards fall in the range of $5,000 to $15,000 but depending on project specifics may be higher.
Training: Online Courses for Media Professionals
Deadline: Ongoing
A selection of online tutorials by the European Journalism Centre.
The diverse set of courses include “Bulletproof Data journalism”, “Google Search for Journalists”, “Verification: the basics” and “Managing Data Journalism Projects” amongst many others.
All courses are free and vary in difficulty. Courses can be completed at the participant’s preferred pace.
ICFJ Knight Fellowship, Latin America
Deadline: Ongoing, fellowships preferably starting in June 2017
The International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) is looking for outstanding journalists with a background in digital journalism who wish to strengthen their investigative reporting via new digital technologies in Central America, Mexico and/or Colombia.
If selected, the Fellow will build the capacity of media outlets and journalists in Central America, Mexico, and/or Colombia, strengthen a network between international, national and local media, recruit experts, and oversee an innovation fund.
The candidate needs to have experience in leading investigative journalism projects, experience in major newsrooms, and high proficiency in both English and Spanish.
The fellowship will take place in Latin America, with at least 25 percent of the Fellow’s time spent in Nicaragua. The duration of the fellowship is one year, with the goal of starting in June 2017. The fellowship may be extended depending on funding and ICFJ approval.
NPR Story Lab
Deadline: Rolling
“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.
Transatlantic Media Fellowship
Deadline: 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.