Deadline: 15 February 2020
Internews’ Earth Journalism Network is offering grants to 10 journalists in East Africa to report on issues related to wildlife trafficking, conservation and protection efforts.
These story grants will support reporting that explores the short- and long-term consequences of environmental destruction while also informing policymakers, affected communities and the general public about ways to address these problems.
The story grants are provided as part of EJN’s East Africa Wildlife Journalism project implemented by Internews and funded by a joint grant from the US Department of Interior and the US Agency for International Development.
Funding Information
Selected journalists will receive an average of US$1,000 in funding to cover travel and field reporting costs. Stories that use particularly innovative or investigative approaches that are more costly to produce may be eligible for additional funding.
Story Themes
EJN is looking for incisive, in-depth, solutions-focused stories on conservation and wildlife that put human experiences at the center of the storytelling. While the stories should be backed by scientific evidence and incorporate data in a simple and compelling way, they should focus on proven adaptations and responses to these challenges.
Ideas should consider but not be limited to questions such as:
- How are communities working to conserve their immediate environments and ecosystems?
- What new approaches are being developed or utilized to combat wildlife crime and poaching?
- How do courts and the judiciary treat these crimes? Are changes needed to ensure more prosecutions?
- How does law enforcement, especially rangers, deal with wildlife crime? Are they well enough equipped to deal with poachers who have sophisticated weapons and technology?
- What role do policies play in environmental protection? What are some examples of successful regulation that could serve as models for similar places?
- Who are the female champions and experts promoting conservation or adaptation?
EJN encourages reporters to view this not just as an environmental story and to think outside their beat, considering ways their reporting could address broader angles. For example, stories could explore the economics and financing driving the illegal trade in wildlife, or reporters could produce detailed “live action” profiles of rangers by shadowing them in the field. They also encourage the use of multimedia; applicants for long-form and multimedia narratives should include plans and budget for accompanying multimedia elements and distribution channels in their pitch.
Eligibility Criteria
- Grants are open to early- or mid-career journalists:
- From Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda.
- Working for international, national, local or community-based media.
- Producing stories for digital, print, television or radio as well as other expert media practitioners reporting for a media-focused organization.
- With a track record of covering conservation and wildlife stories.
- Stories can be produced in English, Kiswahili or local languages. Applicants who intend to write or produce stories in Kiswahili or local languages should also include a translation of the headline and a short summary in English for publication by EJN.
- Freelancers with a demonstrable plan for publication and a letter of interest from an editor are encouraged to apply. Similarly, photojournalists and multimedia practitioners with published visual work are also eligible.
Please note that EJN and its partners and donors have the right to edit, publish, broadcast and distribute these stories freely, once they have been published/broadcast in the original media outlet.
Judging Criteria
Applicants should consider the following points when devising their story proposals:
- Timing
- Relevance
- Angle
- Impact
- Innovative storytelling
- Feasibility
- Diversity
For more information, visit https://earthjournalism.net/opportunities/reporting-on-conservation-and-wildlife-issues-in-east-africa