Awards and Grants

The Asian American Journalists Association is accepting nominations for the 2025 Journalism Excellence Awards until Feb 12.  Established in 1987, the awards recognize and encourage excellence among journalists and outstanding coverage of Asian American and Pacific Islander issues by AAJA members.

FIJ awards grants up to $10,000 for stories that break new ground and expose wrongdoing in the public and private sectors. Next deadline is Jan 26, 2026. Plus, seed grants up to $2,500 (Sep 15, 2025), follow-up grants for timely stories after initial investigations and for those who've previously received a seed grant.

The Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is hosting the annual Big Sky International Documentary Pitch Session on Feb 25, 2016. The pitch will take place as part of Big Sky Doc Shop (Feb 22-26), a five-day nonfiction industry forum during the annual film festival. Submission deadline: Dec 31, 2015.

The McCormick New Media Women Entrepreneurs program will fund U.S.-based individuals who have original ideas for new Web sites, mobile news services, or other entrepreneurial initiatives. The program will provide $14,000 in funding to each of four women. Projects must launch (at least a live beta) within ten months and must have a plan for continuing after initial funding has ended. Deadline to apply: January 27, 2012.

The Sidney Hillman Foundation awards the Canadian Hillman Prize to a Canadian journalist whose work makes a difference to the lives of Canadians. Open to journalists and subjects globally, but content must have been published in Canada. The winners receive an honorarium. Deadline: Jan 15, 2026.

The Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) recognizes talented and dedicated outdoor communicators of all ages through annual contests and awards. OWAA membership required. Excellence in Craft (earlybird Jan 15, 2025) and Youth deadlines: Jan 31, 2025.

The National Association of Science Writers especially seeks to recognize science writing that is shaped by a variety of perspectives, because such writing enables the telling of more broadly relevant stories that better serve audiences and communities. Multiple categories. Cash prizes. Deadline is Feb 1, 2025.

This award is given annually for print, radio, broadcast and digital reporting that makes an exceptional contribution to public understanding of environmental issues. $5,000 prize. Enter by Apr 22, 2025.

The annual contest of Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. recognizes the best investigative reporting by IRE members in numerous categories by print, broadcast and online media. Deadline is January 17, 2025.

Since 1950, the Sidney Hillman Foundation awards the annual Hillman Prizes, honoring excellence in investigative journalism and deep storytelling in service of the common good. $5,000 prizes in five categories. Jan 30, 2026 deadline.