Are you seeking a chance to improve your skills and add value to yourself professionally? Tired of the everyday routine in your newsroom? Getting ahead in your career comes only when you seize opportunities that would stand you out by equipping you with new skills..
Fast-track your career and up your game by taking advantage of any of these programs which should interest passionate journalists around the world. Follow the links for information on deadlines and background on the various programs.
Reuters Journalism Fellowship Program
The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University will be hosting 25 fellows for three, six or nine months to research topics within the institute’s areas of focus – the business of journalism, the evolving practice of journalism and relationships between journalism and accountability. Journalists must have at least five years’ experience. For more information, click here. http://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/page/fellowship-funding
Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellowship
Six international journalists join 12 American journalists at the University of Michigan for one year of academic study. Fellows devise a personalized plan of study with access to the courses and resources at the university. The fellowship covers travel and tuition costs and provides a US$70,000 stipend. Applicants must have at least five years’ journalism experience. For more information go to http://www.mjfellows.org/about/
Joan Shorenstein Center Fellowship at Harvard
The Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government is accepting applications for the Joan Shorenstein Center Fellowship. Applicants must be journalists, scholars or policymakers active in the field of press, politics and public policy. Fellows are required to live in residence for one semester, and will receive a US$30,000 stipend. For more information, click here.
World Press Institute Fellowships
The three-month fellowship immerses international journalists in the governance, politics, business, media, journalism ethics and culture of the United States through a demanding schedule of study, travel and interviews throughout the country. All program costs are covered. For more information, click here.
The Fellowship in Global Journalism
The Munk School of Global Affairs at the University of Toronto is seeking a new generation of global correspondents with expert knowledge of complex topics. Twenty fellows will be mentored by a professional journalist while freelancing for major media and attend journalism courses and lectures. Fellows graduate with a certificate in global journalism. For more information, click here.
Knight Science Journalism Fellowships at MIT
These fellowships accept international and U.S. journalists with at least three years’ experience covering science, technology, the environment or medicine. Fellows devise their own plan of study, auditing courses at MIT and Harvard, attending lectures and interviewing faculty members. Fellows receive a stipend of US$70,000 plus tuition and benefits. For more information, click check https://ksj.mit.edu/fellowships/9-month-fellowship/
Knight-Bagehot Fellowships
The Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism is accepting applications for its Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Economics and Business Journalism which aims to enhance journalists’ understanding of business, economics and finance. Applicants must have at least four years of experience to apply for the fellowship in New York. Fellows receive free tuition plus a US$55,000 stipend for the academic year. For more information, click here.
Persephone Miel Fellowship is offered by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and provides an opportunity for non- United States reporters to work cross-borders, offering up to $5,000 for reporting costs. For more information go to http://pulitzercenter.org/grants/persephone-miel-fellowship
Reagan-Fascell Democracy Fellowships are funded by the U.S. Congress to support democratic activists, scholars, and journalists from around the world to undertake independent research on democratic challenges. Fellows spend five months in residence at the National Endowment for Democracy in downtown Washington, D.C.
The fellowship is open to democracy activists, civil society leaders, human rights defenders, journalists, and others who work on the front lines of democracy. Successful applicants will receive a monthly stipend, health insurance, office space, research support, and round-trip travel to Washington, DC. Financial aid is not available for family or other dependents. For more information, click here
Alfred Friendly Press Fellowships is a 30-year-old program placing talented international journalists in U.S. newsrooms. The fellowship is open to journalists from developing countries and emerging markets. Living expenses for the duration of the six-month program will be covered. For more information, check out http://www.presspartners.org/
The Fund for Investigative Journalism offers grants for individual story research and reporting. FIJ is the oldest fund of its type, founded in 1969 by the late reformer Philip Stern. The Fund has awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to freelance reporters, authors and small publications, enabling the publication of more than 700 stories and broadcasts and some 50 books.
The Fund accepts applications from freelancers, book authors, and a range of other professional journalists for projects on domestic and international issues. The judges look for stories that break new ground and expose wrongdoing – such as corruption, malfeasance, or misuse of power – in the public and private sectors. All entries must be written in English. The Fund board meets three times per year to consider proposals. FIJ grants average about $5,000 each, largely for out-of-pocket expenses such as travel, document collection, and equipment rental. The Fund also considers requests for small stipends. For more information, click http://fij.org/
Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative is directed towards reporters between the ages of 22 and 38. Funded by Moment, a U.S.-based Jewish magazine, it seeks “to encourage young journalists to write in-depth stories about a modern manifestation of anti-Semitism or another deeply ingrained prejudice.
Successful applicants receive a grant of $5,000.
For more information, click http://www.momentmag.com/the-daniel-pearl-investigative-journalism-initiative/
The Solutions Journalism Funds offer grants for “rigorous reporting that investigates and explains solutions to urgent social problems.” Journalists can apply for financial support, mentoring, and editorial guidance from the Solutions Journalism Network.
It is open to reporters, editors, and news organizations in any news medium in any country.
The fund covers expenses of up to $5,000 per project, but will consider higher amounts “for truly extraordinary circumstances.”
For more information, click http://solutionsjournalism.org/funds/
The MacArthur Foundation gives grants each year to documentary film projects that combine “exceptional storytelling with high quality journalism about under-reported but important social issues.” In 2014, it awarded 18 grants totaling $2 million. Grants must be in the public interest and for charitable purposes. This means they must not give rise to private benefit or monetary profit to the organization receiving the grant, or any individual. For more information, visit http://www.macfound.org/info-grantseekers/grantmaking-guidelines/media-grant-guidelines/media-documentary-films-guidelin/
The IDFA Bertha Fund funds documentary projects in developing countries. Over the past 16 years the Netherlands-based fund has supported more than 500 projects. The IBF Project Factory also offers filmmakers help in developing or editing their documentaries and advice on international distribution.
The fund is open to documentary makers in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, and parts of Eastern Europe, and offers between €5,000 and €17,500 (about US$7,000-$24,000) depending on category. For more information, click http://www.idfa.nl/industry/idfa-bertha-fund/about.aspx