And what journalists are getting wrong in the application process

Over the last several months of my fellowship on journalism grants, I’ve talked (and listened to) lots of funding officers at conferences and summits, on private calls, and before and after grant application cycles. I also spoke with a lot of successful grantees. Like many seeking funding, I wanted to know: What makes a good application? (SPOILER ALERT: It’s creative, but not too much.) But I also asked them about changes in the funding landscape, the use of artificial intelligence in applications and what journalists are getting wrong when applying. 

Their answers are condensed below.

What is the difference between a fellowship and a grant?

Fellowships are usually 9-12 months long and are focused on developing the talent and expertise of independent reporters or reporters and editors at news organizations. They include training, mentoring and coaching, a cohort experience, data and research support, over a specified time. Grants are usually geared more to cover the hard costs of a specific program or reporting project. They can be short term or over multiple years. Deadlines for grant applications can be rolling.

What’s the most important thing you look for when approving grants?

Passion.

What else do you look for from applicants?

How precisely the applicant answers the questions. Review the application questions carefully and answer them thoroughly. Don’t deviate from the question. Also, funders consider why this person or organization applying is interested in this grant: Is this something the applicant can do with a bit of support? Did they address in the application how this organization can specifically help them?

“What do you know that others do not know about how to serve the communities in really interesting ways?” Duc Luu of the Knight Foundation told journalists interested in funding at the Independent News Sustainability Summit in St. Louis in September. 

 Can I cut and paste from another funding application and send you the same information?

Yes, but be careful. Make sure you address all of the questions. When you apply for a job, you tailor each resume and cover letter to the job, said Sundra Hominik, the former director of partnerships at the Chronicle of Philanthropy. Personalize your grant application in the same way, she recommended.

How much do relationships matter in funding awards?

Relationships can matter a lot when getting a grant, but how much depends on the type of grant and the funder. Many private foundations don’t accept unsolicited proposals, fund organizations they already know and prefer introductions through trusted networks. That said, relationships matter for understanding what the funder really wants and determining whether your organization is a good fit.

How do I get my foot in the door if I don’t know you and the application is by invitation only?

Funders are always happy to receive emails and start new engagements but applicants often don’t reach out. However, when you get on the phone with one, don’t start with “the ask” for money. The grantor-grantee relationship is like any other relationship. Start with an email or coffee. 

As one successful grantee said, “Funders are like dating. You don’t go on a first date and say, ‘So are we gonna get married?’ If you go up to a funder and the very first thing you say to them is, ‘How do we get to be in a partnership and when will you give me money?’ That doesn’t work.”

Does where I live matter or influence whether I receive a grant?

It can. Certain foundations invest only in certain communities. Research the outlets getting funded. Also, research the foundations that provide money and their board members. Where are they from? “Everybody wants to see their community represented in the list of grants,” says Ruth Kaleniecki, former executive director of a community foundation.

Take a look at a foundation’s website and its 990s and examine the geographic location of its grantees. You can find those on ProPublica or via a free account on Candid, says Kaleniecki, whose firm provides consulting services to nonprofit and mission-driven organizations.

Hominik, who helped launch the Chronicle of Philanthropy fellowships program, agrees. She said the CoP, to a small degree, used a rubric in its fellows selection process. The selection committee’s “system” awarded extra points to newsroom applicants who were outside of New York, DC or the West Coast, where most of their applications originated. “We didn’t get many people from the middle or the south.”

If I’m applying for a grant, should I ask for more money or less?

Again, do some research. Take a look at the average size of previous grants awarded to inform your decision. If you’re looking for $500,000, you might discover that they’re really not awarding more than $150,000.

As an independent journalist, can I send a proposal without a publishing commitment from a media outlet?

It’s not recommended and in many cases is prohibited. Whether you are sending your proposal as a freelancer or as a staff member, get a letter of endorsement or support from the media organization that employs you or has agreed to publish your work during your fellowship.

Can I use artificial intelligence in my application?

You can, but think twice. These days, most applications ask for disclosures on how artificial intelligence was used. However, if you’re going to use it, use it sparingly.

Start with the grant guidelines because the use of AI can be disqualifying, said Katherine Reynolds Lewis, founder of the Institute for Independent Journalists. There are varying types of AI so it’s a judgement call on which are aides and which are substitutes for human brains.

As special projects editor for the Greater Good Science Center, Reynolds Lewis steered the review process for the organization’s recent media grant application cycle. She said she could tell which of the 1,334 applications she reviewed were written with the use of AI because they didn’t seem to have intention. “They were soulless. A great application jumps off the page with humanity.”

More applications are asking for video answers. Seems like a way to invite race, gender, and other biases among judges. It’s also stressful and applicants say it’s one of the most challenging parts of an application. Why are you and others now asking for this? 

Journalists are increasingly using AI in their applications. A video has the additional benefit of adding humanity. Some funders have conducted reviews of the demographics of those with speaking roles in the videos to assess whether there was any evidence of bias, and say they found no evidence of bias against people of color. As far as the video, you don’t need fancy equipment, in fact, most applicants don’t have a high-production video or a CNN-type persona. Judges are just trying to get more of an idea about who you are. 

Is editorial independence guaranteed?

With a grant, there isn’t oversight, but make sure you’re meeting the terms of the agreement. “We don’t talk about stories before they’re published,” said Teresa Gorman of the Democracy Fund. As early as possible, have a conversation to make sure you’re on the same page, she said.  “We can listen to ideas but don’t direct coverage,” she said. 

Gorman also recommended consulting commentary from organizations such as the American Press Institute, which has published articles about the concept of an editorial firewall — meaning separation between news content and funding/donor influence — as part of ethical discussions about nonprofit newsrooms.

With fellowships, it’s a bit trickier, but negotiation is possible. Expect at least one edit. There may be some give and take but fellowship funders often want to talk stories through just so they know how and where to provide coaching and assistance.

Do you help grantees transition to other funding sources?

Funders do talk to each other and watch each other’s moves. But organizations have their own mission, so nothing is ever 100 percent guaranteed. “Keep an open dialogue about opportunities for future funding,” Gorman says.  It helps to share wins but also challenges. 

What are journalists getting wrong in the application process?

Getting too creative. In applications, you want to think creatively, while answering the questions and sticking to the facts.  Don’t color too far outside the lines. Be thorough but be precise. Unfortunately, many journalists are submitting applications but don’t meet the requirements of the grant or fellowship.  

“Sometimes [previous applicants] would tell their life story as opposed to answering the questions,” Hominik said.

Many funders say a common mistake is that applicants don’t check the website to see which projects have already been done, or which projects the organization might already be funding. Migration crises in Europe and the United States are hot topics for applicants. They’ve also been covered a lot. How will your stories be different from what’s already been covered or funded?

Surprisingly, one of the biggest challenges for journalists is the deadline. You have to meet the deadline.

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Cite this article

Williams, Monica  (2026, Feb. 20). The questions every journalist should ask funders (but usually don’t). Reynolds Journalism Institute. Retrieved from: https://rjionline.org/news/the-questions-every-journalist-should-ask-funders-but-usually-dont/