Deadline: May 2, 2022
Are you an investigative journalist in the U.S? Do you have interest in uncovering wrongdoing by powerful people or institutions? Apply now for the Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) Regular & Expedited Grants – Spring 2022.
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.
Grant
- Grants are for specific investigative projects. They average $5,000 but can be as high as $10,000. They cover out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, document collection, and equipment rental. The Fund also considers requests for small stipends.
Eligibility
- While most applicants are freelancers, all journalists can apply for grants. The Fund encourages proposals from journalists of color.
- The Fund provides grants for print and online articles, television and radio stories, documentaries, podcasts, and books.
- To be considered, foreign-based story proposals must come from US-based reporters or have a strong US angle involving American citizens, government, or business; all stories must be published in English, in a media outlet in the United States.
Key Information to include in the Proposal
The Fund’s Board of Directors reviews every grant application carefully and votes on which to approve. The narrative proposal in the grant application should answer four key questions clearly and directly:
- What makes this an investigative journalism project? (Explain what wrongdoing it would uncover in the public or private sector that has been previously hidden or unknown.)
- What is your investigative plan? (Share your general roadmap for tracking down information, including public records, other documents, interviews, and your own observations.)
- What will you uncover that’s new? (Distinguish what new information your investigation would uncover or expose, as opposed to what information you’ll report on that’s already public.)
- Why are you uniquely suited to do this? (Share any experience you have covering the relevant field or issues, or what background you have that qualifies you for this investigative journalism project.)
Application
Applications must include a brief summary (100 words or less), proposal (1,000 words or less), budget, resume, clips, references, and letter of commitment from a media outlet to publish the story.
For more information, visit FIJ Grants.
