Deadline: 30-Nov-22
Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF) is delighted to introduce its Ocean Storytelling Writing Grant as the latest development in their continued drive to support a new generation of ocean storytellers who can convey conservation crises with precision and empathy and kindle the kind of wonder that nudges us all closer to the sea.
This writing category builds on the legacy of their previous photography grants and is dedicated to supporting a diverse generation of emerging conservation storytellers. While they don’t expect all applicants to be writers with a marine focus, they are specifically looking for writers who can tell conservation stories about the ocean. Whether they describe marine animals themselves, or fisheries, or the communities whose lives are intertwined with the life of the sea, a writer’s words can inform, transport, enchant, endear and persuade.
Successful grantees will receive a paid assignment to cover a conservation story under the direct mentorship of the Storytelling Grant team. They particularly wish to support early career and emerging storytellers and aim to encourage new voices with fresh perspectives and writing approaches, so although applicants must be already committed to writing, they should have no more than five years of professional experience in any writing-related discipline. They encourage women and applicants from underrepresented communities to apply for this opportunity. Applications will be accepted both directly via open call and through nomination.
Award Information
Three winners will be selected for the grant.
- Each winner will receive a US$2,000 cash prize and will be given a paid writing assignment to document an SOSF-supported marine research or conservation project. He or she will take an all-expenses-paid trip to visit that SOSF project anywhere in the world to complete the assignment. The SOSF has funded more than 400 projects in more than 85 countries and each winning writer will be assigned to tell one of these stories.
- The grantees will be mentored by Dr Helen Scales (marine biologist and bestselling author), Swati Thiyagarajan (conservation journalist at the Sea Change Project) and Dr Lauren De Vos (SOSF science writer). Dr James Lea (CEO of the SOSF) and Jade Schultz (SOSF content manager) join the panel as judges.
- All winners will be given the chance to showcase their published marine conservation story assignment.
Eligibility Criteria
- The SOSF Ocean Storytelling Writing Grant is open only to emerging writers, which means applicants must have no more than five years of professional experience in any photography-related discipline (but must be already committed to the profession).
- Application must be via the SOSF grant online portal
- All applicants must complete the written questionnaire as part of their application.
- All stories entered are used only for judging purposes.
- Applicants must be 18 years or older.
- Employees of SOSF and anyone connected with the administration of the competition are not eligible to apply for this grant.
- The conditions set out in the entry rules are binding.
- By submitting your application, you automatically agree to abide by the entry rules of the SOSF Ocean Storytelling Writing Grant.
- The feature-style story must not exceed 1000 words.
- The story must transport the reader to the ocean and include some aspect of conservation and/or science. Applicants should think broadly – story topics can range from the animals themselves, scientific discoveries, to fisheries and the communities whose lives are intertwined with marine life.
- By submitting an application, the applicant grants the SOSF the right to share the submitted stories on the SOSF website and SOSF social media if they are selected as a finalist. The applicant also retains the full and exclusive commercial rights.
General Approach
- At the Save Our Seas Foundation (SOSF), they have a strong history of supporting marine conservation and education projects and believe that to truly translate knowledge into effective, meaningful change they must communicate through engaging stories.
- They are specifically looking for writers who can tell conservation stories about their oceans, anything from the animals themselves, to fisheries, to the communities whose lives are intertwined with marine life.
- They are particularly seeking to support early career and emerging storytellers and aim to encourage new voices with new perspectives and writing approaches. As such, while applicants must already be committed to writing, they should have no more than five years of professional experience in any writing related discipline.
- As with their photography grants, they especially encourage women and applicants from underrepresented communities to apply for this opportunity.
Applications will be accepted both directly via open call and through nomination.
Obligations of Grant Holders
- SOSF Storytelling Grantees agree to document a marine conservation story to be mutually agreed with SOSF in 2023 in the form of a feature article (2,000+ words) and published in the Save Our Seas magazine, or other outlets.
- They will receive a cash prize of 2,000 USD and be paid a fee for the assignment, with all expenses covered to visit an SOSF project somewhere in the world.
- The copyright of all materials produced while on assignment remains with the grantee, and they will be helped by the grant team to have their work published in a feature-orientated outlet.
- The winning grantees also give SOSF permission to use all materials produced on assignment (the article, any media) exclusively for a 12-month period (apart from where SOSF and the grantee mutually work to publish the piece in an external outlet). After that period the grantee is free to license/sell the work to other media but SOSF retains indefinite non-exclusive non-commercial usage rights, which include:
- Use for Save Our Seas magazine.
- The SOSF website and social networks.
- All media related to the promotion of the SOSF Ocean Storytelling Writing Grant.
- Not-for-profit conservation and awareness usage by the SOSF and its conservation scientists.
- All entrants agree that, if awarded the grant, they will participate in related publicity and agree to the use of their name and likeness for the
- purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity without additional compensation (in accordance with their privacy policy).
- The decision of the organisers on all matters relating to the competition is final and binding. The organisers reserve the right to amend the rules and to waive breach of the rules at their sole discretion, acting reasonably.
For more information, visit https://saveourseas.com/ocean-storytelling-writing-grant/