Applications for The Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists (FWJ)are accepted on a rolling basis and are open to journalists of all nationalities.
Promoting the work and advancing the role of women and nonbinary journalists across the globe is critical to advancing transparency and diversity in the news media. The Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists (FWJ, the first funding initiative of its kind, supports journalists and journalism projects including, but not limited to, professional development opportunities, investigative reporting, and media development initiatives led by women and nonbinary people. Established with a $4 million gift from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, FWJ has supported more than 330 journalists from 47 countries since its inception in 2015.
Applications for FWJ are accepted on a rolling basis and are open to journalists of all nationalities.
Applicants may apply for one of two different types of funding: reporting projects or professional development opportunities.
The Fund for Women Journalists will prioritize reporting projects pitched around underreported stories of global importance.
- Reporting projects include journalistic work in any media format, including but not limited to print, digital, broadcast, audio, video, photography, and new media.
- Professional development opportunities can include security training, conferences, workshops, and media development initiatives such as technical skills-building training.
International Women’s Media Foundation(IWMF) encourages applicants to consider a one-year timeline or less for the completion and publication of their project. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis.
For reporting projects, IWMF strongly recommends that applicants apply with a commitment from a news outlet (including a letter of interest from an editor) or a detailed pitching/distribution plan. Please note that the IWMF is unable to work with news outlets (such as the BBC) that do not honor the program’s crediting requirements.
The IWMF unleashes the potential of women journalists as champions of press freedom to transform the global news media.
The IWMF believes that gender does not conform to one notion. IWMF is inclusive of all women, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming journalists.
Benefits
- Approximately $230,000 is disbursed each year.
- Grant sizes depend on the proposal and the inclusion of a detailed budget.
Note:
- The budget should include all the hard reporting expenses – such as airfare, lodging, and photography – as well as a personal stipend if the applicant is a freelance journalist.
- Applicants’ budget can contain Stipend for a freelance reporter, Transportation, Lodging, Meals, Photography, Interpreters and translators, Fees for public document requests, Local producers, Video/audio editing, Transcription, Travel Insurance, Licensing fees, Bank transfer fees, PPE (e.g., masks, gloves), and COVID-19 tests.
- Personal stipends for the project’s team members can be included in the budget.
Eligibilities
- Journalism must be the applicant’s primary profession.
- Applicants must have at least one year of professional journalism experience, with a track record of publishing in non-student outlets.
- Must be a freelance and staff journalist.
- Applicants can be of any nationality.
- Reporting may be published in any language.
- Applicants may be individual women and nonbinary journalists and from teams of journalists.
Note:
- Teams may include journalists of any gender. (The submission must be from a woman or nonbinary journalist, and the team must include at least 50% of women or nonbinary journalists.)
Application Process
- Applicants have to create an online account on Submittable to apply for the Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists. (Available on the apply link)
- After creating the account, applicants have to access the account and submit the application online as well as the other necessary documents.
- All applications must include a detailed budget and timeline.
- Applications must be submitted in English or Spanish.
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