16 April 2020

Funds Launched To Support Journalism

Funds have been launched across the globe to support journalism as the news media industry faces the challenge of steep declines in advertising revenue caused by the coronavirus outbreak. 

Google has launched a global fund to support “small and medium-sized” local news organisations which are facing the challenge of steep declines i

Applications for the Journalism Emergency Relief Fund are now open and will close at 11:59pm Pacific Time on 29 April. The fund is targeted at newsrooms employing between two and 100 full-time employee journalists.

Facebook has also launched a US$3 million fund with the European Journalism Centre for small and medium sized news organisations who have been affected by the outbreak.

Other global funds, in a list compiled by WAN-IFRA, include: 

  • Internews grants of between $500 to $5,000 USD for media outlets, organizations and individuals who are working to provide journalism and other forms of public information related to the coronavirus pandemic and its impacts;
  • International Women Media Foundation grants of up to $2,000 USD for staff or freelance woman-identifying reporter applying for assistance related to the health crisis;
  • National Geographic grants for reporting that covers “social, emotional, economic and equity issues” related to the coronavirus pandemic .
  • Poynter Institute (International Fact-Checking Network) grants of up to $50,000 for members of the #CoronaVirusFacts alliance and to IFCN’s verified signatories working with health experts for evidence-based and scientific coverage; 
  • Pulitzer Center grants of between $5,000 and $10,000 for freelance journalists working together and groups of newsrooms collaborating on a project related to the pandemic; 
  • The Rory Peck Trust grants for freelance journalists whose work and livelihoods have been affected by COVID-19; 
  • Civitates grants to “strengthen public interest journalism organizations” across Europe; 
  • European Journalism Center grants of between €5,000 and €50,000 for news organizations and journalists to support community engagement, address critical business needs and facilitate coverage of the pandemic.