Request for Proposals: Journalism Grant Program (US)

Deadline: 02-Oct-2026

The NIHCM Foundation Health Care Journalism Grant supports independent journalism and education projects that investigate major US health care challenges and provide evidence that can help policymakers, health systems, health plans, consumers, and other stakeholders improve affordability, accessibility, and quality. For the 2026–2027 grant cycle, NIHCM is offering up to $460,000, with most individual awards ranging from $15,000 to $30,000. What Is the NIHCM Health Care Journalism Grant? The NIHCM Foundation Health Care Journalism Grant supports independent reporting and educational projects that examine important issues affecting the US health care system. The programme is designed to strengthen evidence-based journalism that can inform public discussion and help health care stakeholders understand complex policy, economic, technological, and access-related challenges. Projects should generate useful reporting or educational content that can contribute to improvements in: Health care affordability. Health care accessibility. Health care quality. Health system performance. Health outcomes. Consumer understanding. Health policy decision-making. 2026–2027 Grant Priorities For the 2026–2027 cycle, NIHCM has identified several priority areas. Health Care Costs and Quality Projects may examine the factors driving US health care spending and their effects on patients, providers, employers, insurers, and public programmes.

Potential topics include:

Rising health care costs. Health care affordability. Quality of care. Health care spending. Patient costs. Value and outcomes. Differences in health care quality. Health Care Consolidation NIHCM is interested in reporting on the increasing consolidation of health care providers, insurers, and other health-sector organisations. Rural health remains a major area of interest because rural communities can face distinctive challenges in accessing health services.

Projects may examine:

Rural hospital sustainability. Provider shortages. Health care access. Rural health infrastructure. Health care costs in rural areas. Geographic disparities. Technology and telehealth. Rural health outcomes. Maternal Health NIHCM also prioritises reporting on maternal and infant health outcomes.

Projects can investigate:

Maternal health disparities. Maternal mortality. Infant health. Access to maternal care. Differences in outcomes between populations. Health care quality during pregnancy and childbirth. Structural and geographic barriers to care. Why It Matters Independent health journalism can make complex health system issues easier for the public and decision-makers to understand.

High-quality reporting can:

Identify problems within the health care system. Examine the causes of rising costs. Investigate health care quality and access. Explain emerging technologies. Highlight disparities. Hold institutions accountable. Provide evidence for policy discussions. Help consumers make better-informed decisions. The NIHCM programme particularly focuses on projects that have the potential to produce useful information for policymakers, health plans, health care delivery systems, health care consumers, and related stakeholders. Funding Available NIHCM is providing a total of up to $460,000 for the 2026–2027 Health Care Journalism Grant cycle. Most individual grants are expected to fall within the range of: $15,000 to $30,000 The total programme allocation may be distributed across multiple successful projects. Who Is Eligible? The programme is open to several categories of journalism and research organisations and professionals.

Eligible applicants include:

Journalists working for national news organisations. A strong project should explain how its findings could improve understanding of US health care affordability, accessibility, quality, or outcomes. Common Mistakes and Tips

Applicants should avoid:

Proposing a project outside the United States. Choosing a topic with no clear connection to NIHCM priorities. Making the proposal too broad. Failing to explain the public importance of the reporting. Providing insufficient detail about the reporting methodology. Focusing only on a general health topic without a defined research question. Failing to identify the intended audience. Underestimating the importance of independent reporting. Providing an unclear relationship between the proposed activities and the requested budget. Tip: Make the central reporting question easy to identify. The proposal should quickly communicate what you will investigate, why it matters, how you will investigate it, and who will benefit from the findings. Key Facts at a Glance

Grant: NIHCM Foundation Health Care Journalism Grant

Grant cycle: 2026–2027

Total funding: Up to $460,000

Typical individual award: $15,000–$30,000

Geographic focus: United States

Main purpose: Independent health reporting and education

Eligible applicants: Journalists, news organisations, freelancers, nonprofits, and universities

Priority areas: Health care costs and quality; consolidation; AI in health care; prescription drugs and technology; rural health; maternal health

Primary beneficiaries: Policymakers, health plans, health care systems, consumers, and other stakeholders

Frequently Asked Questions What is the NIHCM Health Care Journalism Grant? It is a funding programme supporting independent health journalism and education projects that examine important issues affecting the US health care system. How much funding is available? NIHCM is offering up to $460,000 for the 2026–2027 grant cycle. Most individual awards are expected to be between $15,000 and $30,000. Who can apply? Eligible applicants include journalists from national and local print, digital, trade, and broadcast organisations, as well as freelancers, nonprofit organisations, and universities. What topics does NIHCM prioritise? The 2026–2027 priorities are health care costs and quality, health care consolidation, artificial intelligence in hea