The Pulitzer Centre, a non-profit organisation that raises awareness of underreported global issues through direct support for quality journalism across all media platforms, is inviting journalists worldwide to apply for its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Reporting Grants, a programme designed to support in-depth investigations into the use and impact of AI and surveillance technologies on communities around the world.
Through this initiative, open to both staff and freelance journalists, the Centre seeks to promote accountability and data-driven reporting, encouraging collaborations that cut across disciplines and geographical boundaries.
Projects that uncover opaque supply chains, cross-border financial flows, or governance challenges are particularly welcome. The Centre also prioritises proposals from journalists in the Global South, especially Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia, as well as collaborative reporting initiatives.
Governments and corporations increasingly rely on AI systems to make critical decisions in sectors such as policing, healthcare, social welfare, criminal justice, and employment. The Pulitzer Centre’s grant programme aims to shed light on how these systems function, the data that powers them, and the people who are most affected both positively and negatively.
In recent years, the Centre has funded several high-impact reporting projects that explored the ethical, regulatory, and labour dimensions of AI. With this open call, it continues its commitment to fostering nuanced, solutions-oriented journalism that examines the global implications of artificial intelligence.
Applicants are encouraged to propose stories that explore how AI systems are designed, deployed, and governed, particularly in underreported contexts. Areas of interest include: AI supply chains and procurement processes; environmental costs of AI development; disinformation and AI-driven manipulation; and AI in warfare, regulation, and governance.
This is a reporting grant, not a fellowship, intended to cover the hard costs of producing in-depth journalism. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis, with applicants typically receiving a response within one to two weeks.
At the point of application, applicants must submit a 250-word project summary, a preliminary budget, and a detailed publication or distribution plan. Supporting materials such as a curriculum vitae, work samples, and letters of interest from publishing outlets are also required.
The Pulitzer Centre values diversity, equity, and inclusion and seeks reporting teams that reflect the communities they serve. Creative forms of content distribution and audience engagement are strongly encouraged.
Applicants proposing work in hostile environments must adhere to ACOS Alliance safety principles, and freelancers must have firm editorial assignments that ensure institutional support. The Centre covers the hard costs of reporting, including travel, accommodation, data analysis, and translation, but does not fund salaries, equipment purchases, or advocacy campaigns.
The best proposals, the Centre emphasises, come from journalists with deep commitment and original ideas. Successful applicants often demonstrate a fresh perspective on global crises and a clear plan to engage audiences across multiple platforms.
Applications are accepted year-round. Interested journalists can review the detailed grant guidelines and apply via the Pulitzer Centre website.
Please reach out to reacheditorial@pulitzercenter.org. for any questions. For more information, Please Visit: https://pulitzercenter.org/grants-fellowships/opportunities-journalists/ai-reporting-grants.
