Our GoalThe Louise Behan Reporting Grants support science journalists in the Global South to report on stories of importance to that country or region. This initiative is an outgrowth of the WFSJ’s longstanding activities to train journalists around the world.
The Awards
Two awards of between US$750 and US$1,000 will be made annually. This support is intended to enhance the career of each recipient, as well as to enhance the quality of science journalism in the recipient’s country. The objective — shared by Louise and IDRC — is to make a significant impact on the lives of science journalists at all levels.
Eligibility
- You must be working in a country the World Bank defines as lower income. To determine if your country qualifies, please consult these lists for low, lower-middle, and middle income.
- Extensive experience in science reporting is not essential, but you will be asked to provide links to any material that you have published or broadcast during the course of your career.
- Your proposal does not need to be new; it could be an addition to work you have already begun or completed.
- Your work can be in print, radio, television, or some form of on-line presentation, but above all, it must meet the basic criteria of science journalism. This means you are operating independently of any non-media organization that could influence your reporting. Your work should also emphasize themes of science, technology, or medicine above other aspects of your narrative, which should be based on information drawn from original interviews you have conducted with people working in the field.
Ready to apply?
Please send a brief message with your expression of interest to office@wfsj.org. We will be pleased to send you an application form you can fill out in detail.
Deadline
All expressions of interest should be submitted before 31 March 2021. The successful applicants will be announced by 30 April 2021.
Background
The WFSJ launched this initiative with the kind support of Louise Behan and Canada’s International Development Research Centre. Louise, who died in 2019, left a bequest specifically for this grant program. She graduated from Ottawa’s Carleton University School of Journalism in 1978, and subsequently worked for the IDRC for 13 years. The IDRC has a long history of supporting science journalism in the developing world and has been a key donor to WFSJ projects, such as SjCOOP and the 4th WCSJ in Montreal in 2004.