Submissions are invited for The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism. The application deadline is March 31, 2025!
About McGraw Fellowship
The McGraw Fellowship offers both editorial and financial support to journalists who require time and resources to produce significant investigative or enterprise stories that offer fresh insights into important business, financial, or economic topics. Applications are accepted for in-depth text, audio, and short-form video projects, though long-form documentaries are not currently supported. The McGraw Fellowship is not a residency program, and all Fellows work from their own offices, even outside of the pandemic.
Each selected project receives a grant of up to INR 13,02,373 / $15,000, with the exact amount based on the project’s timeline and necessary expenses. Freelance journalists can use a portion of the funding as a stipend for living expenses during the Fellowship. Ideal candidates will have a proven ability to execute complex projects in their proposed medium and ideally possess strong expertise or experience related to their project’s subject.
The McGraw Center provides editorial guidance throughout the Fellowship, assisting with project development during the reporting phase and editing completed stories. The Center also helps Fellows place their work in prominent print, audio, or digital outlets, with the stories being featured on the McGraw Center’s website in the Fellowship Stories section.
Eligibility
The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism is available to individuals with a minimum of five years of professional experience in journalism. The Fellowship supports both freelance journalists and reporters or editors currently employed at news organizations or journalism non-profits. In the case of the latter, reporters and editors have the option to apply on behalf of their organization.
How to Apply?
- Applicants for the McGraw Fellowship are required to submit a focused story proposal of no more than three pages through the online form.
- The proposal should be similar to a pitch submitted to an editor at a news outlet, providing enough preliminary research and documentation to demonstrate the story’s viability. It should emphasize what is new and significant about the story, its relevance, and its potential impact.
- Additionally, applicants should highlight where similar stories have been covered and explain how their proposed piece would offer a unique perspective.
- A brief reporting plan and timeline for completing the story should also be included. While applicants are not required to have a media outlet lined up at the time of application, if they do, they should note this in their proposal.
- Along with the proposal, applicants must submit three samples of professionally published work that demonstrate their ability to handle in-depth stories in their proposed medium. An updated resume is also required.
- References are not necessary at the application stage, but finalists will be asked to provide references from two editors or individuals familiar with their work.
- Freelance applicants who have difficulty obtaining references can discuss alternative options with the McGraw Center.
Budget
No budget is required at the time of application. Applicants chosen as finalists will be asked to provide an estimated budget at that time.
Important Links
Deadline
- Applications are accepted twice a year.
- The deadline to apply for Spring 2025 Fellowships is March 31, 2025.
- Applications for the Fall 2025 Fellowships will be due October 6, 2025.
