Deputy Executive Director of IWMF
The International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) in Washington D.C., in the United States, is inviting proposals for grants from women journalists for the U.S.-based reporting projects that bring awareness to the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, Two-Spirit and Transgender people (MMIWG2T).
The Fund supports the production of ambitious reporting that opens up underreported aspects of the issue of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP). With support from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the IWMF will, from 2022 to 2025, distribute grants to support Indigenous journalists in their projects and endeavors. The fund is not limited to an annual number of grants or dollar amount distributed.
To be eligible, an applicant must identify as indigenous and be a full-time professional, practicing journalist with experience.
According to the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center, “The crisis of MMIW [Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women] is the culmination of a spectrum of violence perpetrated disproportionately against Indigenous women—it reflects the intersection of domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and many other crimes. These crimes occur due to a long history of government policies, programs, and laws that create conditions that leave Indigenous women more vulnerable to such crimes than other women.”
The fund was designed to help Indigenous journalists by providing grantees support to: take the lead on stories connected to Indigenous communities; expose underreported aspects of the MMIP issue; undertake ambitious projects that challenge traditional media narratives and misconceptions about Indigenous nations and their citizens; and, develop field-based expertise and strengthen careers.
Entrants applying for the grant must provide the following information (in English):
- Contact Information and Resume/CV
- Indigenous Affiliation(s)
- High-level summary of the project
- If applicable, a list of any other team members or applicants
- Description of the purpose of the proposal and the MMIWG2T aspect it is designed to address
- Publication plan
- Estimated budget and time frame
- Contact information of two professional references
The IWMF uses an online application system called Submittable for applicants to submit proposals. To begin an application in Submittable, applicants are required to create a username and password through Submittable’s online system. To apply for the grant, first Create an Account. The system allows applicants to log in and save their work before final submission.
Applicants will receive a confirmation e-mail once a completed grant proposal has been submitted and they will be notified once the committee makes a decision on their application. Applicants and grantees retain their intellectual property rights throughout their relationship with the IWMF.
For detailed information about the grant, please visit https://www.iwmf.org/programs/fund-for-indigenous-journalists/ and those who have specific questions about the Fund for Indigenous Journalists: Reporting on MMIWG2T, please email IWMF Director Tara Gatewood (Isleta Pueblo/Diné) at tgatewood[at]iwmf[dot]org.
