Open Call: 7th edition of the Fund for New Narratives on Drugs (Colombia and Mexico)

Deadline: 21-Sep-2026

The Fund for New Narratives on Drugs is inviting applications from journalists and journalistic content creators working in or covering Colombia and Mexico to develop rigorously researched stories that can transform public understanding of drug-related issues. The seventh edition seeks at least 10 stories examining drugs through social, political, economic, human, and environmental perspectives. Selected participants will receive financial support, professional mentorship, editorial guidance, and assistance with audience development and impact.

About the Fund for New Narratives on Drugs

The Fund for New Narratives on Drugs supports journalism that contributes to a deeper and more informed public understanding of drug-related issues. The seventh edition focuses on transforming public discourse in Colombia and Mexico through stories that examine the wider effects of drugs and drug policies. The fund encourages proposals that move beyond conventional narratives and explore the social, political, economic, human, and environmental dimensions of the phenomenon of drugs. How Much Funding Is Available? Selected participants will receive an economic incentive of between $2,500 and $4,000 USD to support the development of their journalistic investigations. For transnational collaborations, up to $10,000 USD is available. The financial support is intended to help selected participants develop and produce their proposed journalistic stories. What Types of Stories Are Supported? The fund seeks stories that address drugs from multiple perspectives and contribute to meaningful public discussion.

Proposals may explore:

- Public health. - Human rights. - Gender. - Marginalized communities. - Environmental impacts. - Local economies. - Drug policy. - Transparency. - Fact-checking. - Ancestral knowledge. Stories should demonstrate strong research and provide meaningful social value for their intended audiences. Focus on Colombia and Mexico The seventh edition focuses on transforming public discourse around drug-related issues in Colombia and Mexico. Applicants should develop proposals that are relevant to the social, political, economic, human, or environmental realities connected to drugs in these countries. The fund is intended to support journalism that can contribute new perspectives and encourage better-informed public understanding. Transnational Collaborations The programme welcomes teams of journalists from different countries working together on transnational stories. Transnational collaborations can receive up to $10,000 USD. Teams must provide published work samples for each member as part of their application. The proposed collaboration should demonstrate how the story can provide relevant perspectives across countries or contexts. Mentorship and Editorial Support Selected participants will receive two-and-a-half months of mentorship from experienced journalists from the Gabo Foundation’s network.

The mentorship includes:

- Editorial support. - Guidance on audience development. - Support in developing impact. - Professional guidance throughout the investigation. This provides recipients with an opportunity to strengthen both the journalistic quality and potential reach of their stories. Who Can Apply? The fund is open to several categories of journalists and journalistic content creators.

Eligible applicants include:

- Individual journalists, whether affiliated with a media organisation or working independently. - Teams of journalists from different countries collaborating on transnational stories. - Creators of journalistic content using innovative formats and primarily distributing their work through digital platforms. Applicants should ensure that their proposed work meets the fund’s research, social value, audience, and narrative requirements. Support for Journalistic Content Creators The fund specifically welcomes creators of journalistic content who use innovative formats. These creators should primarily distribute their work through digital platforms. At least one grant will be awarded to a creator of journalistic content, provided that the proposal meets the required quality standards and other programme requirements. Requirements for Proposals

All proposals must demonstrate:

- Rigorous research. - Clear social value. - Relevance to a defined audience. - An attractive narrative. - Suitability for the intended publication format. Applicants should explain how their proposed story will contribute to public understanding of drug-related issues. Research and Social Value Strong research is a central requirement of the fund. Proposals should demonstrate that the proposed investigation will be based on rigorous research and provide meaningful social value. Applicants should clearly explain the issue being investigated, its relevance to the intended audience, and why the proposed story is important. Narrative and Publication Format Applicants should propose an attractive narrative suited to the format in which the story will be published. The fund is open to innovative approaches, particularly from journalistic content creators working primarily through digital platforms. The proposal should therefore explain the intended format and how it will effectively communicate the investigation to its target audience. Application Requirements Applicants must provide information and documents covering their background, proposed investigation, sources, audience, format, distribution, timeline, and budget.

Applications must include:

- An autobiography. - A research proposal. - The relevant thematic line. - Main sources. - Proposed format. - Target audience. - Travel plan. - Dissemination strategy. - Timeline. - Budget. - Samples of published work. Applicants should ensure that all required information is clearly presented in their application. Published Work Samples Applicants must provide samples of their published work. For teams applying for transnational collaborations, publishe