Applications Invited for EJN Biodiversity Media Grants 2020

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About the Organization:

Earth Journalism Network (EJN) was developed to enable journalists from developing countries to cover the environment more effectively. They are now a truly global network working with reporters and media outlets in virtually every region of the world. In our mission to improve the quantity and quality of environmental reporting, EJN trains journalists to cover a wide variety of issues, develops innovative online environmental news sites and produces content for local media – including ground-breaking investigative reports.

Biodiversity Media Grants 2020

Many of the threats currently facing global biodiversity have been exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic. Funding for critical conservation and ecotourism projects has been redirected or lost, economic growth has been prioritized over protecting wild spaces, and media coverage of the outbreak has dwarfed reporting on conservation.

Indeed, the biodiversity crisis is one that impacts all of humanity and has not received the media coverage that it deserves. Media organisations and reporters have an important part to play in raising public awareness of biodiversity and conservation issues, and highlighting potential solutions to these problems.

As a part of the Earth Journalism Network’s Biodiversity Media Initiative project, we are pleased to announce a new round of grant opportunities for journalist networks, media organizations, civil society organizations or academic institutions that are working to improve media coverage of biodiversity and conservation issues in countries where information is most under threat and most urgently needed.

The Biodiversity Media Grants will support projects that:

• Build the capacity of journalism networks and media organizations to report on biodiversity and conservation issues
• Carry out biodiversity and/or conservation training activities for journalists
• Build internal capacity
• Organise local networks around these issues

They are especially interested in projects that focus on conservation in biodiversity-rich regions of the world, such as the Amazon, Central Africa and Southeast Asia.

What types of projects does this grant opportunity support? 

• The Biodiversity Media Grant will support projects that generally focus on training and capacity building, with flexible spending guidelines that enable local networks to invest in strategic opportunities, build the capacities of their members, and respond to communities’ needs.
• Projects funded by this grant should build awareness of the threats to biodiversity and conservation-based solutions by spreading quality news and information, with a focus on audiences in lower- and middle-income countries. Projects should also build the capacity of journalists and communicators to report on threats to biodiversity and on conservation-based solutions, by building their skills, knowledge and contacts.
• While content production is an important aspect of any project, applications without some form of awareness-building, network-building or capacity-building component will not be considered.  If special opportunities arise, we are open to supporting fellowships and travel costs for journalists to report specific stories or cover key events, so long as these projects facilitate the creation of networks and/or are part of a training process.
• Please note that there will be a separate call later this year for applications by journalists looking for support to produce individual stories on biodiversity or conservation issues.

Eligibility:  

• The Biodiversity Media Grant Opportunity is designed to support the awareness- or capacity-building around biodiversity and conservation, network building, content production around these issues, or creating digital or other media outlets. Applicants should note their affiliations with existing media organizations or provide detailed plans about how this project would facilitate the creation of a new network or organization. 
• As Internews is strictly a media development organization, we will not consider applications rooted in advocacy or political campaigning. 
• This opportunity is open to journalist networks, media organizations, civil society organizations or academic institutions. Although we will consider applications by NGOs or environmental groups looking to build the capacity of journalists to cover conservation issues, preference will be given to applications from or affiliated with professional journalists, media organizations, journalism schools and the like.

Funding:

• This grant fund has US$48,000 available for awards this year, which we would ideally share among three to five projects. Although applications for funding of any amount within this total will be considered, we would expect the average grant size to be between $10,000 and $15,000, with potentially a greater share of the total going to projects that demonstrate a critical need. 

If you encounter difficulties with submitting your application or have questions about the grants, please email info.ejn@internews.org.

Deadline: 15 October 2020, 09:00 AM, BST

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