The Pulitzer Center Rainforest Reporting Grant provides short-term, project-based funding for journalists covering tropical rainforest issues in the Amazon, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia. Staff and freelance journalists may propose ambitious reporting projects on underreported environmental, social, economic, and governance challenges. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Programme Snapshot
Programme: Rainforest Reporting Grant
Category: Journalism and Reporting Grant
Host: Pulitzer Center
Focus Regions: Amazon, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia
Typical Grant Range: US$8,000–US$15,000
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligible Applicants: Staff and freelance journalists
Application Languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, and Bahasa Indonesia
About the Rainforest Reporting Grant
The grant supports independent journalism that examines critical issues affecting tropical rainforests and the people who depend on them. The Pulitzer Center seeks projects that move beyond routine coverage and investigate systemic or underreported challenges.
Proposals may focus on environmental damage, governance failures, conservation efforts, extractive industries, biodiversity, Indigenous rights, or cross-border activities. The programme also encourages collaborative reporting and projects that use data, technology, or other innovative approaches.
Priority Reporting Themes
The official programme page identifies several possible areas for reporting. These topics are examples rather than a complete list.
• Large-scale agro-industry
• Indigenous rights and related policies
• Cross-border timber and wildlife trade
• Forest and biodiversity health
• Chemical pollution
• Forest fires
• Palm oil production and regulation
• Green energy
• Artisanal mining and agriculture
• Carbon storage and market schemes
Applicants may also investigate extractive industries, weak forest governance, conservation initiatives, and the effects of environmental activities on local communities.
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Grant Funding and Covered Costs
The value of each grant depends on the project and its proposed budget. Most awards range from US$8,000 to US$15,000. However, higher amounts may be considered when a project requires specific technology, consultancy, or other justified expenses.
Funding may cover direct reporting costs such as:
✓ Travel connected to the reporting project
✓ Fees for local reporting partners
✓ Translation and related language support
✓ Technology or consultancy expenses when justified
✓ Other project costs supported by a detailed budget
Specific funding terms are negotiated during the application process.
Who Can Apply?
The Rainforest Reporting Grant accepts applications from both staff journalists and freelancers. Proposed projects must address tropical rainforest issues, particularly within the Amazon, Central Africa, or Southeast Asia.
Applicants may submit proposals in:
• English
• Spanish
• Portuguese
• French
• Bahasa Indonesia
Journalists may produce their final reports in these or other languages. The programme aims to support teams that reflect the communities covered by their reporting.
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Required Application Information
Applicants must prepare a clear and practical proposal that explains the reporting project and how it will reach its intended audience.
The application requires:
• A project description of no more than 250 words
• A preliminary budget estimate with a basic cost breakdown
• A compelling distribution plan
The project summary should explain the central reporting idea, its importance, and the issue the journalist intends to investigate. The distribution plan should show how the completed work will reach relevant audiences.
What the Grant Does Not Fund
The programme does not support several types of content and expenditure.
• Books, although an independently published story that may later become part of a book can be considered
• Feature-length films
• Staff salaries
• Equipment purchases
• General operating expenses such as rent, utilities, or insurance
• Seed funding for start-ups
• Routine breaking-news coverage
• Advocacy campaigns
• Data projects intended only for academic research
Short documentaries with strong distribution plans may be considered. Equipment rental may also be reviewed individually.
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Application Review
The Rainforest Reporting Grant accepts proposals on a rolling basis. The official page states that applicants typically receive a response within two weeks of submitting an application.
Applications are reviewed by editors with knowledge of the relevant rainforest regions and reporting issues. The review considers the proposed subject, reporting approach, project scope, budget, and planned distribution.
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How to Submit an Application
Applicants must complete the official Pulitzer Center reporting-grant application. Before submitting, they should prepare the project description, preliminary budget, and distribution plan.
The opportunity is open and accepts applications throughout the year. Since there is no fixed closing date, applicants may submit a proposal once their reporting plan and supporting information are ready.
Apply Here
Submit your application through the official application link below.
