To champion the power of stories to make complex issues relevant and inspire action
The grant program of the Rainforest Journalism Fund was inaugurated at the 2018 Global Climate Action Summit with a vision to bolster the coverage of rainforest issues globally, particularly focusing on the urgent environmental dilemmas confronting the world's tropical forests. Over a five-year span, the $5.5 million fund is set to support nearly 200 original reporting projects and host annual conferences to elevate the quality of journalistic work on these subjects. Furthermore, it includes provisions for hostile-environment and first-aid training for journalists in these regions. The Fund encourages submissions from journalists in the Amazon region for local and regional media coverage in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, backing stories that delve into the role of tropical forests in the global climate, the drivers behind deforestation, and potential solutions to halt it. Financial assistance for these projects will vary, with typical awards ranging from $2,500 to $7,500 based on project specifics and budget planning. The grant aims to ensure these crucial environmental narratives are disseminated widely in influential local or regional media, urging applicants to provide a credible distribution plan and demonstrating prior successful collaborations with proposed media outlets. It also emphasizes safety, mandating adherence to the ACOS Alliance principles for projects involving hostile or dangerous environments.