Deadline: January 7, 2026
Applications are open for the UN Foundation Polio Press Fellowship for Individual Reporting 2026. The fellowship is geared towards journalists interested in covering stories on polio eradication in polio-affected countries.
Upon participating in a series of virtual polio training sessions, selected journalists will receive funding to travel independently to a country (or countries) at the forefront of the polio eradication effort to gather stories and interviews with polio survivors, health care workers, community members, families, and health authorities.
Funding
- Funding for this press fellowship is made possible through financial support from the Gates Foundation. Individual awards are available for up to $7,000. Applications must include a budget proposal with a cost breakdown for transportation, visa fees, accommodation, interpretation, and other travel expenses in their application.
Eligibility
- Open to journalists from diverse backgrounds and of all nationalities.
- While stories may be published in any language, working English proficiency is necessary to participate in the fellowship interviews, training, and other required activities.
- Freelance journalists with an established track record of publication in relevant content areas are welcome to apply.
- They will consider projects across all media platforms (including print, photography, audio, and video) for publication by one or more national or international media outlets. This fellowship cannot be used to fund books, feature-length films, or works of fiction or to purchase equipment.
- Preference will be given to reporters interested in traveling to the following eight countries:
- Angola
- Chad
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Ethiopia
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
Application
Interested and eligible journalists must submit an application that includes a project proposal and budget. Applications should reflect each journalist’s unique interest in polio eradication and may involve themes such as advancements and innovations in polio vaccination and surveillance; the relationship between gender and polio; barriers to reaching unvaccinated children; contributions of polio to broader health goals; and the impact of climate change, misinformation, urbanization, conflict, and other global challenges on polio eradication.
For more information, visit UN Foundation Polio Press Fellowship for Individual Reporting.
