The Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Freelance Fellowship application is now open to journalists. The fellowships are for non-fiction project proposals demonstrating impact, significance, and breadth. Also, applicants can submit proposals for books, cable series, documentaries, and other long-form projects. Furthermore, the fellowship accepts submissions for shorter-term work, including video or audio projects for online or broadcast sites and articles for newspapers, magazines, and online sites. Additionally, applicants can submit niche news publications, among others.

Priority goes to proposals that deal with business ethics, whistleblowers, or privacy issues. The fellowship mainly supports work published or broadcast in the U.S. and in news outlets where the primary audience should be at least a part of the American public.

About Investigative Reporters and Editors

Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Inc. is a nonprofit organization improving the quality of investigative reporting. IRE’s establishment philosophy was to create a forum where journalists worldwide could help each other by sharing story ideas, news sources, and newsgathering techniques.

IRE provides membership to thousands of reporting tipsheets and other materials through its Resource Center. The organization also hosts conferences and particular training across the country.

Important Details

Application Deadline: 28 August 2023

Host University: Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) Inc.

Location: United States

Eligible Nations: All

Target Groups: Journalists

Funding Type: Partially funded

Benefits of IRE Freelance Fellowship

The fellowship provides the following elements:

• Up to $4,000 and a one-year IRE membership for a long-term project
• Up to $2,000 and a one-year IRE membership for a Short-term project

Similar Opportunities:

The Atlas Corps Professional Development Programs (2024 Fellowships in the U.S.)

Cullman Center Fellowship 2024-2025 for Scholars and Writers in the U.S. ($75,000)

Humboldt Foundation Georg Forster Research Fellowship for Sustainable Development in Germany

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants who wish to apply for the IRE Freelance Fellowship should meet these criteria:

• Applicants should be journalists living primarily as freelancers and need assistance conducting investigative projects.
• The journalist should publish the work primarily in the U.S. and in news outlets where the primary audience should be at least a part of the American public

Selection Criteria

The proposals of the projects should meet these criteria:

• Proposals should demonstrate impact, breadth, and significance
• Proposals that deal with business ethics, whistleblowers, or privacy issues will have a priority option
• Intended to support work that will be primarily be published in the U.S. and in news outlets where the primary audience should be at least a part of the American public

Required Documents

Applicants should submit these supporting application documents:

• Three clips demonstrating investigative work
• Freelance status explanation with details
• Project description that responds to the following questions:

1. How does the applicant spend the money receiving one of the IRE freelance fellowships?
2. If their project needs additional funding, how do they raise the remaining funding necessary to complete it?
3. Where do they hope to publish or air the project?
4. Have they agreed on publication with any specific outlets? If so, please summarize the conversations and provide details if you have already contracted with a publisher or broadcast outlet.
5. When will they deliver the project to a potential publisher or broadcast outlet if they receive one of the fellowships?

How to Apply?

Qualified applicants can freely apply for the IRE Freelance Fellowship by entering the link below.

Apply Now

Please visit the IRE website for detailed information about the IRE Freelance Fellowship 2023.

Also, check these opportunities:

Westerwelle Young Founders Program in Germany (5 Days Conference in Berlin + 6 Fellowship)

Falling Walls Science Summit 2023 Journalist Fellowship (Funded to Berlin, Germany)

Center for Inclusive Policy (CIP) Fellowship