GroundTruth Project Preserving Democracy & Voting Rights Fellowship 2020

The GroundTruth Project today announces the opening of the selection process for the Preserving Democracy & Voting Rights Fellowship as leaders of many countries around the world seek to restrict democratic institutions and instruments, including the ballot box.

Application Deadline: 22nd June 2020 at midnight PST. 

About the Award: Building upon previous coverage of voting rights and threats to democracy worldwide, we’re looking for story proposals that examine how these threats are unfolding at the local level, and how individuals, organizations and communities are responding.

Along with the original themes of the project, we’re also welcoming applications centered around the targeting of Black, Hispanic and Native communities in voter disenfranchisement efforts, along with voter mobilization campaigns in those same communities.

With support from the Jesse and Betsy Fink Charitable Fund, Solutions Journalism Network, MacArthur Foundation and Henry Luce Foundation, GroundTruth will offer fellowships in as many as 10 U.S. states and five countries with a focus on what America at large can learn. Given the realities of COVID-19, preference will be given to candidates who are already based in or near the communities they seek to cover, and safety will remain the highest priority throughout the fellowship, which consists of six nonconsecutive weeks between June and October.

Type: Fellowship

Eligible Field(s): Key themes of the project include but are not limited to:

• The role of technology in the electoral process, or more broadly in the functioning of democratic society
• The role of women in shaping electoral policy, shaping institutions and/or civil society 
• The intersection of religion and democracy
• The targeting of Black, Hispanic and Native communities in voter disenfranchisement efforts, along with voter mobilization campaigns in those same communities.

Eligibility: Reporting will be distributed widely through GroundTruth editorial partners like TIME, The Atlantic, FRONTLINE, The Washington Post, PBS NewsHour, PRI’s The World and USA Today. The fellowship is open to videographers, photographers, writers, audio reporters and data journalists. Experience covering voting rights, politics or threats to democracy is preferred. We particularly seek proposals that integrate compelling human stories with attempted solutions relevant to those stories (whether they have been proven effective or not).

Eligible Countries: Any

To be Taken at (Country): Candidate’s residential country

Number of Awards: Not specified

Value of Award:  Candidates may apply with a partner or partners, and each fellow will receive a total of $5,000 — which will cover all travel expenses and a fee to the fellow.

How to Apply: To apply:

1. Follow this link to the application on Submittable.
2. Scroll to the bottom of this initial application page and register with Submittable.
3. Follow the instructions from there.

• It is important to go through all application requirements in the Award Webpage (see Link below) before applying.
• GOODLUCK

Visit Award Webpage for Details