Opportunity:
Investigative Journalism Grants 2026
Grant types:
- Regular grants
- Seed funding
- Follow-up grants
- Grants for previous seed-grant recipients
About the opportunity:
The Fund for Investigative Journalism supports high-quality, unbiased and nonpartisan investigative reporting that exposes wrongdoing, corruption, misuse of power or other matters of public interest.
Who can apply:
- Freelance journalists
- Staff reporters
- Media outlets
- Documentary filmmakers
- Authors
- Podcast and broadcast journalists
Eligible formats:
- Online journalism
- Broadcast stories
- Books
- Documentaries
- Podcasts
Regular grant amount:
Up to USD 10,000
Seed funding:
USD 1,000–2,500 for preliminary reporting that may lead to a larger investigation.
Eligible costs may include:
- Travel
- Records and document fees
- Reporting time
- Research
- Equipment rental
- Initial reporting trips
- Other direct investigative expenses
Publication commitment:
Applicants seeking a regular grant must provide a letter from a recognised media outlet confirming its intention to publish or broadcast the completed investigation.
International applicants:
Foreign-based proposals may be considered only when the story has a strong United States connection involving American citizens, government or business. The work must be published in English and have a U.S.-based media outlet.
Next deadline:
14 September 2026 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time
Important note
Applicants should carefully review the official grant guidelines, budget format, publication-commitment requirements and international eligibility restrictions before submitting.
How to apply
Eligible applicants should submit through the official Fund for Investigative Journalism application portal. Prepare a detailed story proposal, itemised budget and, for regular grants, a letter of commitment from a recognised media outlet.
https://fij.org/apply-for-a-grant/