Grant Opportunity: Economic Hardship Reporting Project

▪︎ ONGOING OPPORTUNITY ▪︎
Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, and are subject to approval and available funds.

The Economic Hardship Reporting Project (EHRP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that produces compelling journalism to raise awareness about income inequality and economic unfairness in America. EHRP helps conceptualize articles, films and other kinds of reporting, edits early drafts and, if necessary, places the stories in media outlets. Many of EHRP’s contributors are low-income journalists.

EHRP offers grants to individual journalists and teams of individual journalist (publications are not eligible to apply). Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. EHRP commissions op-eds, personal essays, investigative reports, rich narrative features, podcasts, nonfiction cartoons, photo essays and documentaries about the United States.

Application Process

For stories on the intersection of the coronavirus and financial suffering in America, with an emphasis on grantee writers and photographers who are themselves experiencing significant economic hardship caused by the pandemic. EHRP generally pays reporters roughly a dollar a word or a $300-$500 day-rate for photojournalists. Applications are reviewed on an ongoing basis, and are subject to approval and available funds. To apply for this grant, please submit a brief note of less than 350 words in English or Spanish, explaining your financial situation.

For other stories, submit a well-researched but brief pitch of less than 500 words. Include your CV and a proposed budget. But first, please visit EconomicHardship.org to find out what kinds of stories EHRP funds. EHRP tends to award grants to experienced journalists, though are open to submissions from emerging talents. Photographers should send low-resolution images (72 dpi) along with a pitch or a query letter attached. All images should include captions in the metadata or an attached caption document. Let EHRP know if other news outlets have covered your story and how your piece will be different.