The Fund for Investigative Journalism concentrates its giving on nonprofit investigative journalism, with an emphasis on state and regional newsrooms, university investigative programs, and fellowship/support awards that enable deep-reporting projects. Grant recipients are typically mission-driven news organizations and journalism labs (including public radio outlets) rather than general operating charities, and awards tend to fund specific investigative projects, fellowships, or reporting initiatives. The foundation’s portfolio shows a clear commitment to sustaining local accountability journalism across a wide geographic spread of U.S. states.
Fund for Investigative Journalism Inc. is built around project support for investigative reporting, including full investigations, seed money for preliminary reporting, and follow-up coverage tied to work it has already funded. Its recent grants show a strong pattern of backing newsroom-led accountability work and university-based reporting programs, with awards that often sit in the five-figure range. That mix suggests a funder focused less on general operations and more on specific stories, reporting phases, and time-limited investigations. University programs are part of that picture. The funder gave $19,982 to Uc Berkeley - the Investigative Reporting Program in 2024 and $14,994 to Uc Berkeley in 2025, reinforcing a recurring relationship with Berkeley-based investigative training and reporting. It also supported public-interest newsrooms such as Wisconsin Watch with $35,000 in fellowship support in 2023 and $9,724 in 2024 for investigative journalism. These awards fit a broader portfolio that includes state and regional outlets, public radio, and nonprofit media organizations working on in-depth reporting. The foundation’s grants also reach thematic investigative work, including reporting on public integrity, corruption, and threats to democracy. Across the recent grant list, the recipients range from local newsroom brands to national and university-affiliated outlets, all tied to specific investigative projects or reporting capacity.
A major theme is support for state and regional investigative newsrooms. The funder gave $21,115 to Investigate West in 2023, $14,935 to The Current in 2023, and $11,780 to Carolina Public Press in 2023, all for investigative journalism. These awards point to a consistent interest in outlets that produce public-interest reporting outside the largest national brands. University-linked training and reporting is another clear area. In 2024, it gave $19,982 to Uc Berkeley - the Investigative Reporting Program, and in 2025 it awarded $14,994 to Uc Berkeley for investigative journalism. That pattern shows support for academic programs that produce reporting and train journalists. The foundation also backs thematic public-accountability work. It granted $10,000 to The Texas Democracy Foundation in 2024, with the grant described as investigative journalism, and $10,000 to Center for Public Integrity in 2023 for investigative journalism. These grants align with its stated emphasis on corruption, malfeasance, misuse of power, and threats to democracy.
$91K
$2.4M
$1.5M
$970K
Most grants fall between $8K and $14K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$14K
About 8% of grants go to recipients in CA.
ERIC FERRERO
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Distributed, project-focused grantmaking of small-to-midsize awards across many organizations nationwide; mixes one-off project/fellowship grants with repeat support to a handful of core grantees (several organizations receive multiple grants).
Notable grantees: Wisconsin Watch, Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, UC Berkeley - Investigative Reporting Program, San Francisco Public Press, Center for Public Integrity
Grant sizes cluster in the low five figures: the typical award is $8,250 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $14,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent grants include larger fellowship awards as well as smaller reporting grants, which fits a project-based model rather than unrestricted operating support. The foundation shows repeat funding behavior. Wisconsin Watch appears in both 2023 and 2024, San Francisco Public Press appears in 2023 and 2024, and the Berkeley investigative program appears in 2024 and 2025. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships with selected grantees rather than one-off gifts. Fund for Investigative Journalism Inc. does not fund individuals, and its active programs include both unsolicited and invitation-only or fast-track paths.
Giving is national, and every recent grant listed went to a U.S. recipient. California appears most often as a recipient state, with Berkeley, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, and Los Angeles all represented. Other recurring recipient cities include Madison, Seattle, Washington, DC, and Jackson. The list also reaches a broad set of states such as Wisconsin, Washington, Georgia, North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Texas, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Maine, and Illinois.
It funds investigative journalism and public-interest reporting, including full investigative projects, preliminary reporting, fellowship support, follow-up coverage, and themed calls such as threats to democracy in the United States. The recent grants also show support for university reporting programs and state or regional newsrooms.
Yes, several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including Regular Grants, Seed Funding, General Reporting Grants, FIJ Grants / Investigative Reporting Grants, and FIJ General Grants for Investigative Stories. Some paths are not open to unsolicited applicants, including the Diversity Fellowship and Follow-up Grants.
The typical award is $10,000 at the median, with a 25th percentile of $8,250 and a 75th percentile of $14,000. The active program descriptions also show smaller formats, such as Seed Funding at $1,000–$2,500 and Follow-up Grants at $0–$2,500.
California recipients appear most often in the recent grant list, with grants to groups in Berkeley, San Francisco, Sacramento, San Diego, and Los Angeles. The recipient list also includes Madison, Seattle, Washington, DC, and Jackson, showing a broad U.S. footprint.
Yes. Wisconsin Watch received grants in both 2023 and 2024, San Francisco Public Press received grants in 2023 and 2024, and Uc Berkeley received grants in 2024 and 2025. That indicates the foundation often supports the same newsroom or program more than once.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Fund for Investigative Journalism that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Only for timely follow-up coverage to original investigations previously produced with grants from the Fund.
Deadline: Expedited review; no fixed deadline stated.
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC BERKELEY | BERKELEY, CA | $14,994 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| GRIST | SEATTLE, WA | $14,750 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| INVESTIGATEWEST | SEATTLE, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| IN THEIR HANDS LLC | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| CALMATTERS | SACRAMENTO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| THE UTAH INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM PROJECT | QUEENS, NY | $8,500 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| BANGOR DAILY NEWS | BANGOR, ME | $8,027 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| INVISIBLE INSTITUTE | CHICAGO, IL | $7,500 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| THE ADVOCATE | BATON ROUGE, LA | $7,450 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| UC BERKELEY - THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING PROGRAM | BERKELEY, CA | $19,982 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| FRIENDS OF WRLN NEWS | MIAMI, FL | $12,500 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| ARIZONA LUMINARIA | TUCSON, AZ | $11,164 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC PRESS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| INEWSOURCE | SAN DIEGO, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| WYOFILE | LANDER, WY | $10,000 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| THE TEXAS DEMOCRACY FOUNDATION | AUSTIN, TX | $10,000 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| WISCONSIN WATCH | MADISON, WI | $9,724 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO | WASHINGTON, DC | $8,912 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| INVESTIGATIVEWEST | SEATTLE, WA | $8,000 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $7,750 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| THE OUTLAW OCEAN | WASHINGTON, DC | $7,500 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| IDAHO EDUCATION NEWS | BOISE, ID | $5,500 | 2024 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| ARIZONA CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING | PHOENIX, AZ | $35,000 | 2023 | FELLOWSHIP AWARD |
| WISCONSIN WATCH | MADISON, WI | $35,000 | 2023 | FELLOWSHIP AWARD |
| INVESTIGATE WEST | SEATTLE, WA | $21,115 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY | BERKELEY, CA | $19,950 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| SAN FRANCISCO PUBLIC PRESS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $15,000 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| THE CURRENT | SAVANNAH, GA | $14,935 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| CAPITAL AND MAIN | LOS ANGELES, CA | $14,250 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| MISSISIPPI CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIBVE REPORTING | JACKSON, MS | $13,250 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS | ASHEVILLE, NC | $11,780 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| HONOLULU CIVIL BEAT | HONOLULU, HI | $10,000 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEGRITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC RADIO | CONCORD, NH | $8,750 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| FLORIDA ELECTIONS WATCH | SARASOTA, FL | $8,400 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| PUBLICSOURCE | PITTSBURGH, PA | $8,200 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| WISCONSIN WATCH | MADISON, WI | $7,223 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| FORT WORTH REPORT | FORT WORTH, TX | $7,100 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
| SALT LAKE TRIBUNE INC | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $5,500 | 2023 | INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM |
UC BERKELEY
$14,994INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
IN THEIR HANDS LLC
$10,000INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
CALMATTERS
$10,000INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
THE UTAH INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM PROJECT
$8,500INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
BANGOR DAILY NEWS
$8,027INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
THE ADVOCATE
$7,450INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
UC BERKELEY - THE INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING PROGRAM
$19,982INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
FRIENDS OF WRLN NEWS
$12,500INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
$7,750INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
IDAHO EDUCATION NEWS
$5,500INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
ARIZONA CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
$35,000FELLOWSHIP AWARD
REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY
$19,950INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
MISSISIPPI CENTER FOR INVESTIGATIBVE REPORTING
$13,250INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
NEW HAMPSHIRE PUBLIC RADIO
$8,750INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
FLORIDA ELECTIONS WATCH
$8,400INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
SALT LAKE TRIBUNE INC
$5,500INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM
