Biodiversity Story Grants 2022

Overview

The media has an important part to play in raising awareness about the importance of biodiversity issues and enabling citizens, policymakers and private companies to determine how they can better address the drivers of biodiversity loss.

To support journalists around the world to produce engaging and fact-based stories for their home audiences, EJN is offering story grants through the Biodiversity Media Initiative, with financial support from Arcadia, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin.

Story themes

For this particular grant opportunity, we are interested in funding ambitious stories that use innovative multimedia, collaborative or investigative approaches.

Special consideration will be given to applicants looking to conduct in-depth cross-border or enterprise reporting on biodiversity or conservation topics. Proposals for data journalism and geojournalism are welcome.

This year, themes we are interested in supporting include (but are not limited to):

• Under-reported stories of trafficking of endangered flora and fauna and its impacts
• New or little-known threats to species diversity
• New methods to track environmental crimes such as illegal mining and logging and other drivers of biodiversity loss
• Innovative, potentially scalable conservation solutions led by communities, governments or corporations
• Efforts to boost “green” and “blue” economies to enable development that conserves rather than exploits the environment

Eligibility

• For the purposes of this grant call, we are only accepting applications for stories focused on the countries listed here, though journalists from any country can apply.
• Applications are open to journalists (online, print, television, radio) and other expert media practitioners with experience in investigative reporting and covering environmental issues.
• We encourage applications from freelancers and staff from all types of media organizations—international, national, local and community-based.
• We’ll accept both individual and group applications, but for the latter we ask that the application is made in the name of one lead applicant who will receive the grant on the group’s behalf, if awarded.

EJN reserves the right to disqualify applicants from consideration if they have been found to have engaged in unethical or improper professional conduct.

Story logistics

We expect to award story grants of up to $5,000 each, depending on the proposal and needs.

We plan to issue grants in December 2022 with the expectation that all stories will be published by June 2023 at the latest. Applicants should consider this timeline when drafting their workplan.

Safety: We encourage reporters to follow best practices for Covid-19 when out in the field so you do not endanger yourself or the people you’re interviewing. If needed, you should include any Covid-related costs, such as tests or personal protective equipment, in your budget.

Language of publication: Stories can be produced in any language. However, applicants who intend to write or produce stories in their local language need to also include an English translation. Please include the cost for translation in the budget, if necessary.

Story budget: Successful applicants are expected to put these grants toward travel for field reporting, research, and production. We expect that proposals will largely reflect what equipment the applicant already has access to (including cameras, drones, lighting, tripods, etc.) and will not consider budgets that heavily focus on procuring new equipment.

All applicants are required to provide a detailed budget with justification for the amount requested. Please also note on your budget form if you are receiving funding from any other donors for the story.

We will consider a stipend for the reporters’ salary, particularly if the applicant is a freelancer. Please estimate the time you’ll need to complete this story and propose compensation you believe reflects a fair market rate. We ask, however, that this comprises no more than 30% of the total budget.

For all details and application: https://earthjournalism.net/opportunities/biodiversity-story-grants-2022