WASHINGTON – The Board of Directors of the Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) has awarded $63,000 in grants to 12 investigative journalists.
The grants help independent investigative reporters pay for the cost of reporting, such as travel, document fees, and other out-of-pocket expenses. The grant-making program is supported by The Reva and David Logan Foundation, The Morton K. and Jane Blaustein Foundation, The Herb Block Foundation, The Gannett Foundation, The Park Foundation, The Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation, The Green Park Foundation, The Nara Fund, The Otto-Whalley Family Foundation, and generous donations from individuals.
FIJ is also supported by the John S. and James L. Knight Chair in Investigative and Enterprise Reporting at the Journalism Department in the College of Media at the University of Illinois.
Pro bono business advisory services are provided by Leigh Riddick, Associate Professor of Finance at The American University’s Kogod School of Business. Pro bono legal services are provided by the Dykema law firm.
In FIJ’s latest round, grants were awarded to:
Patrick Arden, New York-based investigative reporter
Nick Baumann, senior editor, Washington D.C. bureau, Mother Jones
Barbara Bernstein, Portland, Oregon-based radio and video producer specializing in environmental reporting
Sam Eifling, freelance reporter and editor
Li Miao Lovett, San Francisco-based environmental reporter
Jarrett Murphy, editor, City Limits
Shawn Musgrave, Boston-based investigative reporter
Wallace Roberts, independent journalist covering public policy issues
Halle Stockton, Pittsburgh-based reporter focusing on social justice issues
Viji Sundaram, San Francisco-based investigative reporter
Rone Tempest, Co-founder of WyoFile.com
FIJ grantees investigate abuse of power in the public and private sectors. Working with FIJ grants, reporters have exposed unjust deportation practices, federal contracting irregularities, and mismanaged anti-poverty projects – to name a few examples.
In addition to funding, interested grantees are eligible to receive mentors through partnerships with Investigative Reporters and Editors and the Society of Environmental Journalists.
The Fund for Investigative Journalism is an independent, non-profit organization that has supported hundreds of public service reporting projects since 1969, when it provided funding for Seymour Hersh to investigate the massacre of civilians in My Lai during the Vietnam War. His stories won the Pulitzer Prize. Recent FIJ grantees have also won prestigious journalism awards, including the Sidney Hillman Foundation Journalism Award, Investigative Reporters and Editors awards, and the Sigma Delta Chi award.
Links to FIJ-supported projects are posted on www.fij.org. The website also contains updated instructions for grant applications. The next deadline for applications is Monday, October 21, 2013 – 5pm Eastern Time. FIJ is now accepting applications for investigations of both domestic and foreign issues. Contact executive director Sandy Bergo, 202-662-7564, or [email protected] with any questions.