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!
Around the world public media organisations and funders have also launched funds to help support producers, freelancers and creators and provide security during uncertain times. For more details about these opportunities, check out our dedicated public media funding page.
Also check out our Coronavirus resources and best practices page, which includes a list of additional funding opportunities that aim to support media professionals during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Featured Opportunities
NPR Kroc Fellowships
Deadline: 31 December 2020
Recent graduates can apply for NPR’s year-long Kroc Fellowship that aims to provide budding journalists with skills and experience for working in public radio journalism. Successful applicants will receive audio and visual production and writing training within several units of NPR and in an NPR affiliate member station. According to NPR, “ Now in its 13th year, the program has produced nearly 40 fellows, many of whom continue to work at NPR and Member stations across the country.”
Why does media matter for development? – MOOC
Course starts: 4 January 2021
The Public Media Alliance has joined forces with colleagues at the Department of International Development, University of East Anglia (UEA) to launch the free, four-week, online course via FutureLearn that explores why media matters for development.
Throughout the course, participants will cover different types of media including participatory, community, social and public media as well as media representations and how they play a vital role in development processes and social change.
The course is designed for individuals who have an interest in studying or working in the fields of media and international development and is open to all.
Click here for more details and to register onto the course.
Journalism training opportunity: How can solutions journalism enhance how we report on migration?
Deadline: Throughout 2020
Are you a journalist based in the EU and covering (or interested in covering) migration?
The Local’s journalists have developed a curriculum for applying the techniques of solutions journalism to migration reporting as part of an EU-wide project, MAX (Maximising Migrants’ Contributions to Society). Funded by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, MAX aims to expand the public narrative around immigration in Europe and highlight stories of real people who have migrated and the communities they have joined.
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.
Collaborative News Content [PMA Members]
PMA has partnered with Orb Media, a research journalism non-profit organisation, which specialises in transforming “global, long-term issues of social and environmental sustainability into locally actionable information”, to provide our members with free, high-quality news content and resources. Their latest project explores the impact of community health workers tackling some of the world’s most pressing health challenges.
More information can be found at the Orb Media website, while PMA members should contact PMA for access.
Month by month
International Center for Journalists’ Training Webinars Series on Video and Mobile Journalism (Arabic – MENA)
Course duration: Throughout November and December
ICFJ is offering an online video and mobile journalism course in Arabic for journalists in North Africa and the Middle East. The course consists of 6 live webinars via Zoom and participants will receive a certificate upon completion.
Free training for journalists to enhance their safety
Deadline: 1 November 2020
This free eight-week course is aimed at individual journalists and focuses on operational media associated risks and provides participants with practical tools and operational media field experience to mitigate those risks. Participants must be from EU and candidate countries. Hosted by Thomson Foundation, this course is part of the MFRR project co-funded by the European Commission.
Scholarship for Foreign US-based Journalists [USA]
Deadline: 1 November 2020
The Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States provides annual scholarships to foreign journalists who are completing their Master’s level studies in a U.S. based academic institution. Master’s level studies which will be considered for support include but are not restricted to journalism, media relations, communications, film, videography, photography, visual arts, and other fields.
[Text sourced from The Association of Foreign Press Correspondents]
Mobile journalism masterclass
Course date: 2nd November 2020
With mobile journalism becoming an increasingly popular and vital trend in contemporary journalism practice, Journalism.co.uk is offering a six-week training course for busy professionals to enhance their mobile journalism storytelling skills. Participants will learn how to use their smartphone for filming, editing, how to conduct interviews to get good soundbites, script-writing, story-boarding, writing to picture, voice-overs, and piece-to-camera shots as well as how to use low-cost or free apps for video production.
Training is delivered by Robb Montgomery who has a wealth of experience training journalists from major news outlets around the world including Reuters, The New York Times and VRT in Belgium. The course begins on 2 November and will be available for 1 year so that participants can work at their own pace.
Journalism Diversity Fund – 4th round
Deadline for 4th round: 4th November 2020
The Journalism Diversity Fund, administered by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ), is designed for individuals “who do not have the financial means to support themselves through NCTJ journalism training, giving them the opportunity to pursue one of the most exciting and rewarding careers around.” This ensures more diversity in the newsroom, and helps newsrooms to better reflect the society they serve.
The IJ4EU Impact Award
Deadline: 8 November 2020
The European Centre for Press and Media Pluralism (ECPMF) have launched their IJ4EU Impact Award, which celebrates collaborative, cross-border investigative journalism between European Union member states and/or candidate countries.
Projects can be published in any medium: print, broadcast, online, documentary film and multimedia.
There are three prizes to be won, each worth €5,000.
You can nominate your own investigative project or those of others.
Dow Jones accepting internship applications [US]
Deadline: 9 November 2020
The Dow Jones News Fund is offering paid summer internships of up to US$1,500 to juniors, seniors and graduate students for 10 to 12 weeks at media outlets nationwide. Applications are welcomed in the fields of data journalism, digital media, business reporting and multiplatform editing.
Online Harassment: Strategies for Journalists’ Defense – MOOC
Course duration: 16 November – 13 December 2020
This four-week course is open to women journalists and their allies and will focus on online privacy and how journalists can better themselves while working. Titled “Online harassment: strategies for journalists’”, this free course is presented by The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, through its Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), in partnership with the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF). Modules include an introduction to online harassment, understanding privacy, digital security steps to counter online harassment, and trolls and their strategies.
Journal seeks papers on media, digital transformation [MENA]
Deadline: 20 November 2020
Journalists, academics and students from the Arab world can submit their papers. Possible topics include digital media and content creation, the future of digital platforms, media and e-learning, media ethics and the digital environment, fact checking and data. Although shorter pieces are encouraged, submissions may have up to 10,000 words and must conform to The Chicago Manual of Style.
[Text sourced from International Journalists’ Network]
2020 FIJ Diversity Grant [US]
Deadline: 21 November 2020
The Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) is offering Diversity Grants for “investigative stories on any topic that break new ground – which means they uncover wrongdoing in the public and private sectors and reveal information that was previously unknown or hidden.”
The FIJ is encouraging proposals submitted by US journalists of colour but all journalists can apply, including freelancers.
A sum of anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 is available, which covers travel, equipment rental and other expenses.
The Publisher Podcast Awards 2021
Deadline: 27 November 2020
“The Publisher Podcast Awards are a celebration of the best podcasts in the publishing and media industry, and we’re looking forward to bringing them to you once again after a smashing first year.”
The Awards are divided into two different types: the strategic awards, which includes the best student podcast and best podcast launch and the content awards, which range from the best coronavirus podcast to the best sport, science and technology podcasts.
It is free to enter but submissions must be from a publisher that “release content regularly in at least one other medium – print or online.”
Disabled Writers offers scholarships
Deadline: 30 November 2020
Disabled Writers, a resource that helps editors to “connect with disabled writers and journalists, and journalists connect with disabled sources”, is offering limited scholarships to Poynter’s News University courses providing training for journalists at all levels. These are restricted to freelance journalists who are members of the disability community, but they do not need to cover disability to be considered.
Poynter’s NewsU courses range from visual, data and broadcast journalism to writing, editing and fact-checking. Click here to explore Poynter’s full catalogue of courses.
[Text sourced from Disabled Writers]
To submit your interest, complete this Google form.
Freedom House’s “Media Matters” funding programme [Eastern Europe]
Deadline: 30 November 2020
The Freedom House’s “Media Freedom Matters” programme is available to provide financial support for projects that seek to raise awareness about press freedom and freedom of expression. Initiatives can include focus on strengthening the role of the media in improving accountability for human rights abuses, corruption, or other violations. Priority will be for initiatives which address freedom of expression or press freedom at the local or regional levels. Two initiatives will receive up to EUR10,000.
RTS Television Journalism Awards 2021
Deadline: 1 December 2020
Entries are open for the Royal Television Society’s Television Journalism awards. “The awards, for both news and current affairs, seek to recognise creative and excellent journalism by organisations whose broadcasts are transmitted on a UK based platform or who create online video content from a UK production base.” There are 19 categories that entries can be submitted under, which are further split into: National and International News Awards; National and International Currents Affairs Awards; Nations and Regions Awards; Awards for News or Current Affairs as well as two awards that are issued at the panel’s discretion.
The awards ceremony will take place on 24 February.
Broadcast Awards 2021 [UK based]
4 December 2020
“The Broadcast Awards are the most hotly anticipated event in the television industry calendar. Celebrating the very best in British programming and channels. The awards recognise and reward the UK’s most ground-breaking content, creators and channels. The 2021 awards ceremony is scheduled to take place 3 June 2021, rather than February. Details around the ceremony will follow over the next few months.”
[Text sourced from Broadcast]
Story-Based Inquiry Method – Online, Intensive
Course duration: 7- 10 December 2020
The Centre for Investigative Journalism (CIJ) is hosting a four-day online training course for individuals interested in developing their skills in investigative journalism. According to CIJ, “The course sets out the Story-Based Inquiry (SBI) method, which has been successfully used by thousands of journalists, academics and NGO researchers since its publication by UNESCO in 2009. The method can be used for feature writing or documentary filmmaking as well as reportage. Its language and approach have been integrated into leading journalism organisations and NGOs worldwide.”
During the course, participants will cover shaping a hypothesis; structuring a narrative; mapping ‘stakeholders’ and organising data and information in order to bring the story together.
Instructors are Dr Mark Lee Hunter, a founding member of the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) and Luuk Sengers, a journalist and lecturer.
Grants program accepting applications for focus on Arab societies
Deadline: 8 December 2020
Journalists, researchers and activists whose work focuses on Arab societies can apply for this program. Funded by the Ford Foundation and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), the Arab Council for the Social Sciences (ACSS) is accepting submissions for its grants program on the theme of “Health and livelihoods in the Arab region: wellbeing, vulnerability and conflict.” Grants of US$20,000 will be available to individual researchers, up to US$35,000 for teams of researchers and US$50,000 for institutions.
[Text sourced from IJNet]
European Press Prize 2021
Deadline: 11 December 2020
Entries are open for the European Press Prize, which celebrates excellence in journalism. The four different categories under the prize include the Investigative Reporting Award, Distinguished Reporting Award, Opinion Award and the Innovation Award. The judges can also award a special prize “for excellent journalism”.
Each winner is awarded 10,000 euros and their work will be published on the European Press Prize website. Journalists from within the 47 countries based in the Council of Europe can enter. Winn
NPR Kroc Fellowships
Deadline: 31 December 2020
Recent graduates are able to apply for NPR’s year-long Kroc Fellowship that will provide them with skills and experience for working in public radio journalism.
Successful applicants will receive audio and visual production and writing training within several units of NPR and in an NPR affiliate member station. According to NPR, “ Now in its 13th year, the program has produced nearly 40 fellows, many of whom continue to work at NPR and Member stations across the country.”
The fellowship begins in August/September 2021 and fellows receive a stipend of around $45,000 plus other benefits.
Pre-Conference call for abstracts – NordMedia Conference 2021
Deadline: February 2021
The NordMedia Conference 2021 will be held from 18-20 August 2021 in Reykjavik, Iceland. However, before then, you can submit an abstract between December 2020 and February 2021. Abstract submission guidelines will be published in December. The conference is organised by the University of Iceland in cooperation with the national Nordic research associations and Nordicom. NordMedia has been held every other year since 1973.
One World Media Awards 2020
Call for entries: January 2021
“Established in 1988, the One World Media Awards recognise the best media coverage of developing countries, reflecting the social, political and cultural life of people around the globe.”
The deadline to submit entries is February 2021 and the Awards Ceremony is due to take place in June 2021.
Why does media matter for development? – MOOC
Course starts: 4 January 2021
The Public Media Alliance has joined forces with colleagues at the Department of International Development, University of East Anglia (UEA) to launch the free, four-week, online course via FutureLearn that explores why media matters for development.
Throughout the course, participants will cover different types of media including participatory, community, social and public media as well as media representations and how they play a vital role in development processes and social change.
The course is designed for individuals who have an interest in studying or working in the fields of media and international development and is open to all.
European Commission Media Freedom and Investigative Journalism funding (Call for proposals)
Deadline: 20 January 2021
As threats to investigative journalism and the safety of journalists continue to rise, the European Union announced that it has made 3.9 million euros available for actions and initiatives to support media freedom and media diversity across the EU.
The Call for Proposals comes under three Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions: Action 1 – ‘A Europe-wide response mechanism for violations of press and media freedom’; (Pilot Project); Action 2 – ‘Cross-border investigative journalism fund’ (Preparatory Action), and Action 3 – ‘Supporting investigative journalism and media freedom in the EU’.
“The selected projects will be expected to ensure inter-project coordination and to regularly exchange information on their activities.”
Amnesty International UK Media Awards 2021 [UK based]
Deadline: 21 January 2021
“Amnesty International Media Awards celebrate excellence in human rights journalism and applaud the courage and determination of journalists and editors who put their lives on the line to tell important human rights stories.”
Categories include written and broadcast news, investigation, feature, student journalism, documentaries, radio and podcasts, among several others.
Reports must be published or broadcast between 1 January and 31 December 2020.
Fund for Investigative Journalism Regular Grant [US Based]
Deadline: 8 February 2021
“The Fund provides grants to journalists for investigative stories that break new ground – which means they uncover wrongdoing in the public and private sectors and reveal information that was previously unknown or hidden.”
Grants can be between $5,000 and $10,000 and “cover out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, document collection and equipment rental. The Fund also considers requests for small stipends.”
Proposals written for ethnic media or from journalists of colour are encouraged to apply.
Beyond survival? A new Human Resources research project for PMA members
Deadline: Ongoing
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
Deadline: Rolling
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]
Data Journalism Grant
Deadline: Rolling
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]
Fund for Environmental Journalism Proposal Guidelines (US-based)
Deadline: Rolling
The 2020 Rapid Response Grants from the Society of Environmental Journalists (SEJ) support journalism projects covering environment-related issues including climate or conservation in North America, the United States, and globally.
ICFJ Knight Fellowships
Deadline: Rolling
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]
Deadline: Rolling
“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]
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
International Reporting Grants
Deadline: Rolling
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.
Journalism training opportunity: How can solutions journalism enhance how we report on migration?
Deadline: Throughout 2020
Are you a journalist based in the EU and covering (or interested in covering) migration?
The Local’s journalists have developed a curriculum for applying the techniques of solutions journalism to migration reporting as part of an EU-wide project, MAX (Maximising Migrants’ Contributions to Society). Funded by the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, MAX aims to expand the public narrative around immigration in Europe and highlight stories of real people who have migrated and the communities they have joined.
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.
OPEN Media Hub offers free online courses [Eastern Europe, MENA]
Deadline: Rolling
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
Deadline: Rolling
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:
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
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.
Last updated on 20 November 2020.
If you have any suggestions for grants applications and other opportunities please email PMA at editor@publicmediaalliance.org.