ELIGIBILITY:

Freelance journalists, staff reporters and media outlets are eligible for grants, and their investigations can be for print, online or broadcast stories, books, documentaries or podcasts.

Regular, Expedited, and Follow-up proposals are submitted through the same application form. Seed funding is submitted through a special application form. Emergency Grants are submitted through their own application form. Diversity Fellowships are submitted through their own application form, which is posted here when fellowships are open.

More information about our grants is below. Additional resources about applying for grants include:

Frequently Asked Questions about applying for a grant.

BENEFIT:

Regular grants: We review proposals three to four times a year for grants up to $10,000. The next deadline is Monday, January 29, 2024. 

Seed funding: We provide small grants, up to $2,500, for preliminary reporting that can lead to full investigations. These grants cover costs like open-records requests and initial reporting trips. 

Expedited grants: In rare cases, we provide expedited review for proposals that are extremely urgent and cannot wait for the regular review cycle. These proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis and applicants receive a decision within about two to four weeks.

Follow-up grants: We accept proposals for timely follow-up coverage to original investigations that were produced with grants from the Fund. Grantees can apply for expedited review for follow-up grants up to $2,500.

Emergency Grants: Threats to Democracy in the U.S.: These grants are for stories that break new ground and expose wrongdoing related to threats to democracy in the U.S. for up to $10,000. We will review proposals on a rolling basis. Grant decisions can be expected within 2-4 weeks of submission of application.

Diversity Fellowship: In our commitment to increasing diversity in the field of investigative journalism, the Fund for Investigative Journalism offers diversity fellowships. Information about these fellowships will be posted to our website when applications are open.