Justice and Media
The foundation seeks to partner with principled news organizations to substantially increase and improve coverage of issues of inequality, injustice and disparity. We support media organizations, from the public or private sector, that have the ability to produce value-added content on vital social issues, to reach large and influential audiences, and to generate audience engagement.
What We Fund
We seek to support news organizations able to produce content that goes deeper than what is currently being offered—both by the media as a whole and by the individual news outlets themselves. We believe in journalism that:
- Breaks news
- Combines compelling storytelling with rigorous reporting
- Offers context that helps audiences understand complex issues
- Is brave and cutting edge
- Incorporates fresh storytelling techniques to engage audiences in unexpected ways
Our grantees should not be biased in their reporting nor should their content be advocacy-based. We expect them to carefully consider perspectives that are too often excluded from the reporting and editing process, and to ensure that a diversity of voices and experiences are present in both their news content and newsrooms. Our goal is to support journalism that educates, challenges mindsets, and inspires people.
Additional Selection Criteria
We require our media grantees to comply with the highest journalistic standards and ethics, and to avoid any conflict of interest.
To Apply for a Grant
Follow these steps:
- Review the Initiative(s) most relevant to your work.
- Read our Grant Application Guide, which describes our grant-making process.
- If you determine that your work aligns with our priorities, submit a Grant Inquiry. (While we welcome submissions, please keep in mind that our funds are limited in relation to the large number of worthwhile inquiries we receive. In a typical year, less than 1 percent of unsolicited inquiries result in a grant.)
Please Note:
It is important that you use our grant inquiry form—and refrain from contacting program officers directly. Given the volume of inquiries we receive, this allows us to log, track and respond quickly to your application.
Fellowships
The vast majority of foundation grants go to organizations. We provide a very limited number of fellowship opportunities for individuals through the Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships Program, which aims to diversify the faculties of American colleges and universities.
The foundation does not have any other active fellowship opportunities at this time.
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