The Crisis Fund provides financial grants for active freelance news journalists whose work and livelihoods have been put at risk as a result of their journalism.
About the Fund.
The Crisis Fund aims to help with a financial crisis happening as the direct result of a journalist’s work; for example, if they experience physical attacks, have urgent medical or equipment replacement costs to cover or are forced to relocate. The fund may also provide assistance to a freelancer’s family following an injury, imprisonment, kidnapping or death of the journalist while doing their work.
The aim is to provide support to freelance journalists so they are able to resume their important work.
Eligibility
If you are a professional freelance journalist working in news and current affairs whose only source of income comes from journalism, you may be eligible for a grant.
You must meet all of the following criteria to apply to any of our funds:
- You must be a freelance journalist who does not have a regular salary or retainer;
- You must have been actively working as a freelance journalist for at least the last 12 months and be able to provide reference letters from editors;
- You do not have access to any other financial support or resources, i.e. government support or savings;
- You are not entitled to any contractual benefits such as sick pay, annual leave, social security or pension, as you are not a permanent staff member of any media organisation.
You must also meet the following specific criteria to apply for the Crisis Fund:
- Your last published work must be dated no later than six months before the crisis emerged;
- You must be able to provide evidence of the crisis and how it affects you directly. You may be asked to provide evidence of your income and outgoings; e.g. invoices, bills, bank statements.
- You must be able to provide a date for the incident that drove you to apply for assistance.
How to Apply
Complete and submit the application form in your preferred language. The application process will take between 1-3 weeks and our team will contact you directly. We aim to reply to every request but unfortunately, we cannot provide individual feedback to those we are unable to support.
We also work closely with an international network of partners and may refer applicants to relevant organisations around the world for further support.
Please note: The amount available for each grant is limited and amounts will be determined by an assessment of individual circumstances and needs. The Trust’s decision on each application is final. If you have received support from The Rory Peck Trust in the last three years, we won’t be able to support you again.
Supported by
