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.
Vaclav Havel Journalism Fellowship
Deadline: 1 June
This joint initiative of RFE/RL and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic which seeks to strengthen press freedom and support aspiring journalists from countries where media independence and media freedom are threatened. The fellowship wants to provide participants with training and development of of journalist skills on traditional and multimedia platforms.
The fellowship is available for journalists from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation and will last eight month. During the fellowship, participants will spend six months at RFE/RL’s headquarters in Prague where they will receive training and mentoring. The opportunity also includes workshops, discussions with government officials, visits to news agencies and professional development opportunities. The fellowship covers a monthly stipend, housing, insurance and travel arrangements to and from Prague.
Reporting Illegal Wildlife Trading programme
Deadline: June 6
This multi-month scheme is for both freelance and staff journalists with at least 5 years of experience, who are interested in writing investigative stories on online trade in illegal wildlife who are based in China, Brazil, Nigeria, the Gulf States and Pakistan. The programme is particularly interested in reports that look into how online illegal activity facilitates illegal wildlife trade in order to facilitate public understanding of the issue.
Participants will receive a series of mentoring sessions from experienced journalists and a stipend to fund their research and will produce journalistic investigations as part of the programme.
The Bayeux Calvados-Normandy Award for War Correspondents
Deadline: June 8
This award – sponsored by the town of Bayeu in France and the Calvados General Council – recognises the work of war reporters and their coverage of conflicts or events involving the defense of media freedom and democracy. The work submitted must have been produced between 1 June 2017 and 31 May 2018.
The 6 categories include TV, radio, photo, written format, grand TV format and young reporters (photo), and the winner of each category will receive €7,00.
NED Grants Program
Deadline: June 22
This annual grant funds independent media organisations, civic groups and associations that have a proposal for projects aimed at advancing and strenghtening democracy. The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) encourages applications from organisations that are working in a wide variety of environments, especially if undergoing democratic transition or are under a semi-authoritarian regimes.
Each year the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) makes direct grants to hundreds of nongovernmental organisations worldwide working to advance democratic goals and strengthen democratic institutions. This year in particular, NED is interested in funding projects that want promote and defend human rights, support freedom of information and independent media, promote accountability and transparency, strengthen civil society organisations, promote civic education, support democratic conflict resolution and more.
Grant amounts vary depending on the size and scope of the projects, but the average grant lasts 12 months and is around $50,000.
Global Health Journalism Grant
Deadline: 11 July
Organised by the European Journalism Centre (EJC) this grant programme, worth a total of €150,000 seeks to improve reporting of international health, health policies and development issues across German media. The programme encourages creative and innovative approaches go health journalism that can engage and inform the general public as well as policy and decision makers.
The project will award around 10 stipends to freelancers, staff journalists and newsrooms and will include potential travel and technical expenses according to each individual project. The project ideas must take in developing countries and applicants should be experienced in covering health, science or development and need to publish in German media. The project should be produced and published in German, with their main audiences in Germany.
AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards
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.
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.