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Reporting Grants For Women’s Stories

The IWMF’s Reporting Grants for Women’s Stories, sponsored by The Secular Society, is a funding initiative supporting journalism produced by and about women. In an era of increased globalization, the need for varied coverage of gendered topics is critical to a free and representative press. These grants support reporting on untold stories surrounding issues that impact women and girls’ daily lives worldwide.
Through programs, fellowships, and grants the IWMF empowers women journalists with the training, support, and network to become leaders in the news industry. The IWMF recognizes that promoting the work and advancing the role of women in the news media is critical to transparency and that women journalists remain underrepresented in both media organizations and bylines across the world. Consequently, stories about women and the issues that affect their lives remain severely underreported. The IWMF’s Reporting Grants on Women’s Stories initiative empowers journalists to access untold stories through new means of funding that emphasizes gender balanced reporting.
The Secular Society’s support for gender equity through independent reporting grants highlights the need to provide women journalists with more robust funding opportunities to pursue journalism in the public interest. The Secular Society believes that all governmental activities and those of religious organizations should be separate; they also hold that all religious beliefs are equally valid and their expression must be treated with tolerance and respect. Journalism funded by the IWMF’s Reporting Grants for Women’s Stories will contribute to the larger conversation about secularism’s role globally and focus on the challenges faced by women in a non-secular world.


Application Guidelines – RGWS


The Reporting Grants for Women’s Stories provide opportunities for women journalists to pursue international stories of importance through gender-sensitive coverage of underreported topics.
  • Grants will average $5,000 USD.
  • Grants will be awarded to cover reporting-related costs including travel (flights, ground transportation, drivers), logistics, visa fees, and payment for fixers/translators.
  • All applications must be filled out online via the IWMF’s online application system.
The IWMF will accept applications twice-yearly. Please keep this in mind when creating proposed project timelines. Due to the large influx of applications, the IWMF cannot consider time-sensitive proposals. Please refer to the application close date for each application cycle, and expect grants to be disseminated 6 – 10 weeks following the application close. Applicants may apply concurrently for Reporting Grants for Women’s Stories and the Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the IWMF’s Reporting Grants for Women’s Stories Initiative?

The IWMF’s Reporting Grants on Women’s Stories, sponsored by The Secular Society, is a new funding initiative supporting journalism produced by and about women. In an era of increased globalization, the need for varied coverage of gendered topics is critical to a free and representative press. These grants will be a catalyst for reporting on untold stories surrounding issues that impact women and girls’ daily lives worldwide.

What is the purpose of the women’s stories initiative?

These grants provide opportunities for women journalists to pursue gender-sensitive coverage of underreported, internationally important stories.
Grants will average $5,000 USD and be awarded to cover reporting-related costs including travel (flights, ground transportation, drivers), logistics, visa fees, post-production costs, and payment for fixers/translators.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis beginning May 2. The Secular Society board will meet three times a year to make funding decisions. Funding will be awarded in August, December, and April.

What types of projects will be supported by the Women’s Stories initiative?

Women’s Stories grants will support reporting related costs for media projects may include (but are not limited to): fees for travel, logistics, visas, lodging, and post-production costs.
All applications must include a detailed preliminary budget.

What types of projects will not be supported?

Requests for assistance with equipment needs will not be considered.

Who is eligible to apply?

Women journalists from anywhere in the world and who are currently working as journalists can apply for support. Applicants must have three or more years of professional work experience and must currently be working as a journalist with journalism as their primary profession. Teams of journalists may apply, however the submission must be from a woman journalist and your team must include at least 50% women. Staff journalists and teams of staff journalists within news organizations are eligible to apply for funding, but these grants will give special consideration to freelance journalists.

How often will you distribute grants?

The selection committee will meet to decide on funding twice a year.

How much money will be given away each year?

Approximately $100,000 will be dispersed each year. Grant sizes will depend on the project pitched – most grants will average approximately $5,000 USD.

What is the deadline for submissions?

The IWMF will accept applications on a rolling basis with twice-yearly cut offs. Please keep this is mind when creating proposed project timelines. Due to the large influx of applications, the IWMF can no longer consider time sensitive proposals. Please refer to the application close date for each application cycle.

What is the Secular Society and why are they supporting the IWMF?

The Secular Society is a Virginia based non-profit dedicated to promoting the understanding of secularism’s role globally. The Secular Society believes that all governmental activities and those of religious organizations should be separate; they also hold that all religious beliefs are equally valid and their expression must be treated with tolerance and respect. Journalism funded by the IWMF’s Grants for Women’s Stories will contribute to the larger conversation about secularism’s role globally and focus on the challenges faced by women in a non-secular world.

What other funding opportunities do you offer?

The IWMF’s Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists is a flexible grant making fund that distributes $230,000 annually to women journalists seeking funding for either media projects or professional development opportunities.

What is the IWMF’s Reporting Grants for Women’s Stories Initiative?

The IWMF’s Reporting Grants on Women’s Stories, sponsored by The Secular Society, is a new funding initiative supporting journalism produced by and about women. In an era of increased globalization, the need for varied coverage of gendered topics is critical to a free and representative press. These grants will be a catalyst for reporting on untold stories surrounding issues that impact women and girls’ daily lives worldwide.

What is the purpose of the women’s stories initiative?

These grants provide opportunities for women journalists to pursue gender-sensitive coverage of underreported, internationally important stories.
Grants will average $5,000 USD and be awarded to cover reporting-related costs including travel (flights, ground transportation, drivers), logistics, visa fees, post-production costs, and payment for fixers/translators.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis beginning May 2. The Secular Society board will meet three times a year to make funding decisions. Funding will be awarded in August, December, and April.

What types of projects will be supported by the Women’s Stories initiative?

Women’s Stories grants will support reporting related costs for media projects may include (but are not limited to): fees for travel, logistics, visas, lodging, and post-production costs.
All applications must include a detailed preliminary budget.

What types of projects will not be supported?

Requests for assistance with equipment needs will not be considered.

Who is eligible to apply?

Women journalists from anywhere in the world and who are currently working as journalists can apply for support. Applicants must have three or more years of professional work experience and must currently be working as a journalist with journalism as their primary profession. Teams of journalists may apply, however the submission must be from a woman journalist and your team must include at least 50% women. Staff journalists and teams of staff journalists within news organizations are eligible to apply for funding, but these grants will give special consideration to freelance journalists.

How often will you distribute grants?

The selection committee will meet to decide on funding twice a year.

How much money will be given away each year?

Approximately $100,000 will be dispersed each year. Grant sizes will depend on the project pitched – most grants will average approximately $5,000 USD.

What is the deadline for submissions?

The IWMF will accept applications on a rolling basis with twice-yearly cut offs. Please keep this is mind when creating proposed project timelines. Due to the large influx of applications, the IWMF can no longer consider time sensitive proposals. Please refer to the application close date for each application cycle.

What is the Secular Society and why are they supporting the IWMF?

The Secular Society is a Virginia based non-profit dedicated to promoting the understanding of secularism’s role globally. The Secular Society believes that all governmental activities and those of religious organizations should be separate; they also hold that all religious beliefs are equally valid and their expression must be treated with tolerance and respect. Journalism funded by the IWMF’s Grants for Women’s Stories will contribute to the larger conversation about secularism’s role globally and focus on the challenges faced by women in a non-secular world.

What other funding opportunities do you offer?

The IWMF’s Howard G. Buffett Fund for Women Journalists is a flexible grant making fund that distributes $230,000 annually to women journalists seeking funding for either media projects or professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Women’s Stories grants will support reporting related costs for media projects may include (but are not limited to): fees for travel, logistics, visas, lodging, and post-production costs.

How to apply?

For more information, please visit the official web page.


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