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Call for Proposals: Stories on Threats to Democracy in the U.S.

The Fund for Investigative Journalism is accepting proposals for grants to cover the expenses of investigative stories that break new ground and expose wrongdoing in the public or private sectors related to threats to democracy in the U.S. These can include, for example, investigative stories on barriers to voting, voter suppression, misinformation, political influence in election systems, efforts to undermine the rule of law and other issues. Like all stories supported by the Fund, these stories must be unbiased and nonpartisan, and they must adhere to the highest journalistic standards.

Grants are for up to $10,000. Journalists who receive grants can also request free legal assistance through our partnership with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and editorial mentorship from seasoned journalists with expertise in particular threats to democracy.

There is no deadline for proposals, as they will be reviewed on a rolling basis with grant decisions made within two to four weeks of submission. This emergency grant program will continue for at least a year.

The application form is here. The grant application includes the following components:

  • Brief summary (100 words or less)
  • Full proposal (1,000 words or less) that explains what makes this an investigative journalism project, what the applicant’s investigative plan is, what the story will uncover that’s new, and why the applicant is uniquely suited to do the story
  • Budget for the project
  • Resume and references
  • Letter of commitment from a media outlet to publish the story
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This program is supported by generous funding from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation.