Regular Grant Program for Investigative Journalism (US)

The Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) offers grants and other support for freelance journalists, staff reporters, and media outlets to produce high-quality, unbiased, nonpartisan investigative stories. FIJ supports investigations across print, online, broadcast, and also for books, documentaries, and podcasts. Deadlines vary by grant type, including Friday, 29 January 2027 for Regular and Seed grants and Thursday, 1 October 2026 for the Alicia Patterson Fellowships. Opportunity at a Glance

- Funding organization: The Fund for Investigative Journalism (FIJ)

- Opportunity type: Grant programs for investigative journalism (multiple grant types)

- Who can apply: Freelance journalists, staff reporters, and media outlets (details by grant type below)

- Eligible story formats: Print, online, broadcast, books, documentaries, podcasts

- Regular grants (maximum): Up to $10,000

- Seed funding (maximum): Up to $2,500 (ranges from $1,000 to $2,500 for preliminary reporting)

- Follow-up grants (maximum): Up to $2,500 for timely follow-up coverage

- Alicia Patterson Fellowships: $40,000 for 12 months or $20,000 for six months

- Regular and Seed deadlines (next deadline shown): Friday, 29 January 2027 (also listed as “Winter: January 30 at 11:59 pm ET” in the 2026 deadlines section) - Alicia Patterson Fellowships deadline (next deadline shown): Thursday, 1 October 2026

- Decision timeline (regular grants): About six weeks after the deadline

- Decision timeline (regular grants for previous Seed recipients): About two to four weeks

- Application method: Separate application forms for different grant types (see “How to Apply”)

About the Opportunity

FIJ provides grants and other support for reporters to produce investigative stories that are high-quality, unbiased, and nonpartisan and that have an impact. The program supports investigations that can expose wrongdoing and misuse of power in both the public and private sectors. FIJ reviews proposals multiple times per year and uses a combination of staff screening and Board of Directors review and voting on eligible proposals. Funding and Benefits

FIJ offers several grant types:

- Regular grants

- Maximum grant: Up to $10,000

- Purpose: Support full investigative proposals

- Decision timing: About six weeks after the deadline

- Seed funding

- Maximum grant: Up to $2,500

- Purpose: Preliminary reporting that can lead to a full investigation

- Typical cost coverage: Open-records requests and initial reporting trips; also reporting time

- Amount range (seed): $1,000 to $2,500

- Decision timing: Reviewed a couple of times per year (specific decision timing not stated separately in the seed section)

- Follow-up grants

- Maximum: Up to $2,500

- Purpose: Timely follow-up coverage to original investigations produced with FIJ grants

- Review: Grantees can apply for expedited review for follow-up grants up to $2,500

- Regular grants for applicants who previously received Seed funding

- Maximum: Up to $10,000

- Review cadence: Reviewed on a rolling basis

- Decision timing: About two to four weeks

- Alicia Patterson Fellowships

- Duration: Fellows spend either six or 12 months traveling, researching, reporting, and writing stories on specific topics

- Award amounts: $40,000 for a 12-month grant or $20,000 for a six-month grant

- Frequency: Awarded annually

- Next deadline shown: Thursday, 1 October 2026

Letter of Commitment requirement (full proposals) For full investigative proposals (Regular grants), FIJ requires a “Letter of Commitment” from a news outlet agreeing to publish or air the story, subject to the outlet’s expectations and standards. Seed funding proposals do not require a Letter of Commitment, though applicants may share a letter of recommendation if they choose. Budget and eligible costs FIJ grants cover out-of-pocket expenses such as: - Travel - Document collection - Equipment rental - Reporting time (for some grant types, reporting time is explicitly mentioned) FIJ also provides budget guidance and requires a budget format with rationales (see “How to Apply”). Who Is Eligible? FIJ states that the following are eligible for grants: - Freelance journalists - Staff reporters - Media outlets Grant-type specific eligibility notes

- Regular grants and Seed funding: Submitted through separate application forms (as stated on the page).

- Follow-up grants: For timely follow-up coverage to original investigations produced with FIJ grants.

- Regular grants for previous Seed recipients: For individuals who received Seed funding from FIJ. - Alicia Patterson Fellowships: Fellowship applicants are “Fellows” who travel, research, report, and write stories on specific topics (the page does not list additional eligibility criteria beyond the fellowship structure). International reporting grants Foreign-based story proposals must meet these conditions to be considered: - Must have a very strong U.S. angle, involving American citizens, government, or business - Stories must be published in English - Stories must have a media outlet in the United States Resubmissions and multiple proposals - FIJ does not accept resubmissions of proposals they previously declined, unless FIJ specifically invites you to resubmit. - FIJ does not accept multiple proposals from the same applicant in one grant cycle, except in rare cases. To seek an exception, applicants are instructed to email FIJ. Eligible Activities or Priority Areas FIJ supports investigative journalism across multiple formats, including: - Print - Online - Broadcast - Books - Documentaries - Podcasts Areas of interest FIJ’s Board of Directors looks for stories that: - Break new ground - Expose wrongdoing, such as corruption, malfeasance, or misuse of power - Cover issues in both the public and private sectors

FIJ also encourages proposals:

- Written for ethnic media - Submitted by journalists of color Why This Opportunity Matters This FIJ grant program is designed to fund investigative reporting that can lead to publica