ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announcing $1 Million in Grants to Support Coronavirus News Reporting
Applications are now closed.
Today, the Facebook Journalism Project is partnering with the Lenfest Institute for Journalism and the Local Media Association (LMA) to offer a total of $1 million in grants to support US and Canadian local news organizations covering the coronavirus. These grants will help fill immediate gaps for resource-constrained newsrooms covering the impact of the coronavirus in their communities.
Tapping into the Facebook Journalism Project Community Network grant pool, grants of up to $5,000 will be given to local newsrooms across the US and Canada to help cover unexpected costs associated with coronavirus reporting. These needs may include but are not limited to: tools to work remotely, increases in coverage to inform communities and to combat misinformation, and other costs associated with serving vulnerable and at-risk communities. In addition, the Facebook Journalism Project is working with the News Media Canada and The Independent News Challenge to advise on how best to reach journalists in remote communities across Canada.
A full list of eligibility requirements is included below.
“Journalists in local communities are working around the clock to ensure people have timely information to keep them safe,” said Campbell Brown, Vice President, Global News Partnerships, Facebook. “Lenfest and the Local Media Association will help us quickly provide support for this critical reporting.”
“Local news enterprises have responded with superb, real-time, comprehensive coverage of the coronavirus outbreak, but many newsrooms are resource-constrained just when our communities need us most,” said Jim Friedlich, CEO of The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. “The grants announced today are designed to provide rapid-response assistance for the coverage of this fast-moving news story. Our focus is on need, speed and scope - helping as many news organizations as we can, as quickly as we can.”
“Covering coronavirus at the local level is a struggle for many small-to mid-size publishers who are already resource-challenged,” said Nancy Lane, CEO of Local Media Association. “These grants will go a long way to help them provide vital information to their communities. We are thrilled to be part of this program, and very grateful to the Facebook Journalism Project for funding this important work.”
Eligibility Requirements:
- Grants may be requested by for-profit or nonprofit local news organizations in the US and Canada
- Grants may be requested by freelance individuals with established working relationships with a nonprofit or for-profit news organization in the US and Canada
- Submissions will be prioritized based on the following criteria:
- Publishers who are serving and need resources for coverage focused on and/or for at-risk communities
- Small publishers, including independent, family-owned and/or hyperlocal newsrooms
- Organizations in need of tools to work remotely and cover the situation in a safe manner
- Organizations looking to increase and/or expand their coverage to combat misinformation within their local communities
- Project proposals do not require the use of Facebook’s tools or platforms
- Applicants agree that if they are awarded a grant, Lenfest, LMA and Facebook can use information provided in the initial application and subsequent reporting form to share lessons with other local news organizations
- Grant applications must be submitted through the Lenfest Institute website during the open call period
- News organizations are eligible for a single $5,000 grant. Priority is given to independent news sites that meet the stated criteria
- Grant recipients agree to participate in a survey to capture results and feedback
Submissions will be reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis – with winners being notified within a short window after applying – until funds are fully apportioned. Applications will be accepted until $1 million in grant payments has been awarded.
Stay Connected
If you have questions about the grant, please email CommunityNetwork@fb.com with “Coronavirus Reporting Grant Question” in the subject line. For updates about the FJP Community Network and news from the Facebook Journalism Project, sign up for our newsletter.
Facebook Journalism Project Community Network Grant Program submission deadline: April 15th, 2020 at 11:59 PT ET, or when $1 million USD in grant funds has been awarded, whichever comes first. Subject to Terms and Conditions. See terms for full eligibility criteria, selection criteria and grant restrictions.
MORE STORIES
/4
Follow Us
The Meta Journalism Project works with publishers around the world to strengthen the connection between journalists and the communities they serve. It also helps address the news industry's core business challenges, through trainings, programs and partnerships.