Fund for Investigative Journalism Grants 2026: Up to US$10,000

The Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) is accepting applications for its Summer 2026 Regular and Seed Grants.

The programme supports journalists producing original, nonpartisan investigations that uncover wrongdoing, corruption, misuse of power or previously hidden information.

Grant Details

Regular Grant: Up to US$10,000

Seed Grant: US$1,000–2,500

Regular Grants

Regular grants provide up to US$10,000 for fully developed investigative-journalism projects.

Freelance journalists, staff reporters and eligible media outlets may apply.

Applicants must ordinarily provide a commitment letter from a news organisation agreeing in principle to publish or broadcast the investigation, subject to its editorial standards.

Seed Grants

Seed grants provide between US$1,000 and US$2,500 for preliminary reporting that may lead to a complete investigation.

Eligible expenses can include:

• Open-records requests
• Preliminary research
• Initial reporting trips
• Interviews and source development
• Limited reporting time

Seed funding is intended primarily for freelance journalists and journalists who do not hold full-time staff positions at media organisations.

Eligible Formats

Investigative projects may be produced as:

• Print articles
• Online journalism
• Television or radio reports
• Documentary films
• Podcasts
• Books
• Investigative photojournalism

International Eligibility

This is not a fully worldwide grant programme.

Foreign-based proposals must have a strong US angle involving American citizens, government or business. The completed story must be published in English through a media outlet in the United States.

Journalists based in India may apply only when their proposed investigation meets these conditions.

Eligible Expenses

Grant funding may cover:

• Travel
• Public-record and document fees
• Research and data collection
• Equipment rental
• Reporting time
• Other directly related reporting expenses

Funding cannot normally be used to purchase equipment, rent office space, buy office supplies or cover general production, distribution or promotional expenses.

Regular Grant Application Requirements

Applicants should prepare:

• A project summary of approximately 100 words
• A full proposal of fewer than 1,000 words
• A detailed investigation plan
• Preliminary findings
• An explanation of what new information will be uncovered
• A detailed project budget
• Résumé or CV
• Published work samples
• Professional references
• A letter of commitment from a US media outlet

Seed-grant applicants do not require a publication commitment letter during the preliminary-reporting stage.