Tag Archives: Events

KURT SCHORK MEMORIAL FUND (KSMF) 2026 AWARDS

Application Deadline: midnight (BST, UTC+1) on Sunday, June 14, 2026.

LOCATION: USA

The Kurt Schork Memorial Fund (KSMF) invites freelance journalists, local reporters, and news fixers from around the world to submit entries for the 25th annual Kurt Schork Awards in International Journalism. Named in memory of American freelance journalist Kurt Schork, who was killed in 2000 while on assignment for Reuters in Sierra Leone, the awards recognize the bravery of journalists who take great personal risk, often for little reward, to shine a light on the truth and hold power to account.

ELIGIBILITY:

Entrants for the Local Reporter and Freelance Awards must submit three articles each, published between June 01, 2025, and June 14, 2026. The judges will look for journalistic excellence in applicants’ submissions and evidence of determination and courage in obtaining their stories.

News Fixer Award applicants must submit three references from foreign correspondents with whom they have worked during the same time period. The range of skills displayed by a news fixer can be vast, and this is taken into consideration by the jury. They will look for evidence of skills such as displaying excellent news judgment, suggesting story leads and providing logistical support. The judges will also consider how the applicant’s support benefited the content, impact, and reach of the coverage they facilitated.

The News Fixer Award, launched in 2016 and presented for the first time in 2017, was inspired by the freelance journalist, author and friend of Kurt Schork, Anna Husarska. Further details about eligibility and entry criteria, as well as the online entry forms and FAQs, can be found on the KSMF website.

The three award categories, open to those reporting for print and online publications, recognize the media professionals that Kurt particularly admired:

Freelance Award: Recognizing freelance journalists who travel to the world’s conflict zones, usually at great personal risk, to witness and report on the impact and consequences of these events.

Local Reporter Award: recognizing the often-overlooked work of journalists in developing nations, or countries in transition, who write about events in their homeland.

News Fixer Award: Recognizing the work of local journalists or experts, typically hired by foreign correspondents, whose guidance and local knowledge play an unsung but vital role in facilitating international coverage from difficult, dangerous, or hostile locations.

Applications are now open, and the deadline for submissions is midnight (BST, UTC+1) on Sunday, June 14, 2026.

BENEFIT:

The awards recognize excellence and courage in reporting conflict, corruption, injustice, and human rights issues, with winners receiving a $5,000 cash prize.

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UK RESEARCH AND INNOVATION MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (MRC) FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Application Deadline: 7 October 2026, 4:00pm

LOCATION: England

Apply for funding to investigate the causes, progression, and treatment of human disease.

Your project must:

Focus on a mechanistic hypothesis

Include an experimental intervention or challenge in humans

This is an ongoing funding opportunity. Application rounds close every April and October.

ELIGIBILITY:

This opportunity is open to organisations with standard eligibility. Check if your organisation is eligible.

To be eligible to apply for this funding opportunity, you must

Show that you will direct the project and be actively engaged in the work

Be looking to investigate the causes, progression and treatment of human disease

If you do not have a contract of employment for the duration of the proposed project, by submitting an application, the research organisation is confirming that, if it is successful:

Contracts will be extended beyond the end date of the project

All necessary support for the project and the applicants will be provided, including mentorship and career development for early-career researchers

They welcome applications from early-career researchers. The new investigator award is aimed at researchers who are capable of becoming independent researchers and who are now ready to take the next step towards that goal.

If you are applying for this opportunity as a ‘new investigator,’ you must also:

Have your research organisation support

Be able to demonstrate that your skills and experience at the time of your application match those of the ‘transition to independence’ career stage, as set out in the MRC skills and experience table

Use this grant to support your long-term career goals and chosen career route

Be able to demonstrate you are the sole intellectual leader of the application and the proposed work

International Researchers:

As MRC is the lead funder for this funding opportunity, international researchers can apply as ‘project co-lead (international).’

Project co-leads (international) make a major intellectual contribution to the design or conduct of the project. Their contribution and added value to the research collaboration should be clearly explained and justified in the application, using the appropriate application sections, such as ‘Applicant and team capability to deliver.’

Read UKRI project co-lead (international) eligibility for more details. Please contact us if you are uncertain about eligibility.

You should include all other international collaborators (or UK partners not based at approved organisations) as project partners.

BENEFIT:

There is no limit to the amount of funding you can apply for or the length of your project. They will fund 80% of your project’s full economic cost.

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