Deadline: 15-Dec-20
To support credible and independent journalism, the National Foundation for India (NFI) has launched the Media Fellowship Programme for independent journalists. Under the programme, several grants will be made to independent journalists on a rolling-basis every quarter, beginning November 2020.
The Covid-19 pandemic continues to have multiple impacts on our lives. Existing challenges have been exacerbated and new ones have emerged. Across the country, individuals, communities, businesses and governments are responding differently. Covid has claimed many casualties. Good reportage need not be one of them.
The Fellowship
- The inaugural round is in English. The subsequent rounds would be open to Indian languages as well.
- This program provides journalists with both financial and editorial support throughout the grant-period cycles.
- Each grantee will be given INR 30,000 to publish one story on a broad range of themes and issues of public interest, reported in depth over one month.
- If required, NFI will provide editorial support to guide and help the grantee to report better.
- NFI will aid the grantee in publishing the stories with different media organisations.
What Kind of Stories Pitch for Grant?
The story is reported deeply, evidence-based and well-investigated. The story could be a news-break, an analysis or a feature. It could be specific to the region or geography you report. NFI want to support stories that do not stop at merely reporting an incident or an event but draw these out in the context of larger trends in governance, society and the political economy. The story could be on one of these themes or on the intersection of these themes. This is an indicative list and not an exhaustive one.
- How governments, businesses, people, communities and societies are responding to contemporary challenges in India.
- The political economy of resources, resource-capture and corruption. Contests and conflicts over natural resources
- Malgovernance or good governance.
- Livelihoods and rights of people.
- Public health challenge in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
- Functioning of essential services and social security schemes.
- Workings of businesses and economy that impact society, rights and resources.
- Social cooperation and innovation in the face of new challenges.
- Civic and fundamental rights of citizens.
- Evidence-based trends in how our societies are changing.
- Stories that focus on lives of the most vulnerable.
How to Pitch for Fellowship?
- To apply in the current round, applicants should have the following ready:
- Story idea in less than 400 words.
- CV in a word or pdf format.
- One unedited version of applicants best published work or an unpublished journalistic work of not less than 400 words in MS Word or PDF format.
- To strengthen the pitch, please consider the following elements in proposal:
- The most recent development, event, incident or emerging trend applicants want to report on.
- Explain the context in which the development has happened or is happening (Editors find it easy to review the pitch when it is presented with the right context).
- Summaries why this development matters, which is to say, why anyone who consumes this news or analysis should care about this development.
- Give a sense of what evidence, data or reporting are already armed with and what else would gather if applicants are granted the fellowship.
Eligibility Criteria
Journalists who meet the following two criteria:
- Independent journalist not engaged on a full-time basis with any media organisation.
- Journalists residing in India outside the six metropolitan cities of Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Kolkota, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.
For more information, visit http://www.nfi.org.in/fellowships