Fund for Investigative Journalism Announces Diversity Grants for Stories by Freelance Reporters on Any Topic; Applications Due November 20
WASHINGTON, DC, October 16, 2020 – The Fund for Investigative Journalism today announced that it is offering Diversity Grants for freelance reporters for investigative stories on any topic. The deadline for proposals is November 20, 2020, and grants will be awarded before the end of the year.
Grants of up to $10,000 will be awarded to cover the expenses of investigative reporting, which can include travel, research or technical assistance, open-records fees, small stipends for freelance journalists’ time and other costs. The first half of the grants will be paid in December, and the second half will be paid when stories are published or aired.
In addition to grants, the Fund for Investigative Journalism will provide recipients with one-year memberships in Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and the Ida B. Wells Society, two national investigative journalism organizations that provide training and networking. The grantees will also be able to request editorial mentorship from seasoned reporters who work with the Fund and legal assistance through the Fund’s partnership with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
Following are the criteria for grants:
- Grants are for investigative stories – those that break new ground and uncover wrongdoing, injustice or malfeasance in the public or private sector
- Grants are for U.S.-based freelance reporters or stories with strong U.S. angles. All stories must run in U.S. media outlets, in English.
- Applicants must have a commitment from a media outlet to publish the story.
The application for the grants is online. Click to apply.
Applications should include a short (100-word) summary of the proposed project, fuller proposal (up to 1,000 words) explaining what makes it an investigative story and how the applicant plans to report the story, budget, letter of commitment from a media outlet, resume, clips and references. The Fund’s Board of Directors will review applications ad vote on which to approve.
“Increasing diversity within the field of investigative journalism is one of our top priorities. So far this year, 45% of our grantees are journalists of color and half of our grantees are women, but we still have a lot of work to do to ensure meaningful, sustained equity for journalists who have been under-represented historically. Dedicating a grant cycle for diverse freelance applicants is one important way for us to do that,” said Lottie Joiner, a member of the Fund for Investigative Journalism’s Board of Directors and Chair of its Diversity Committee.
Journalists who have questions or need assistance in the application process can email [email protected] for a response within one business day.
For more information, please contact:
Eric Ferrero, Executive Director
Fund for Investigative Journalism
[email protected] or 646-342-9310