Call for Applications: Michael Gordon Fellowships (Australia)

The grants aim to encourage and enable the kind of journalism Michael Gordon exemplified by funding reporting projects in the field of social justice journalism in Australia and overseas – covering areas such as Indigenous affairs, migration policy, human rights and international development.

The panel will look to support proposals that highlight inequity and injustice with insight, fairness and compassion – and champion those who work to achieve social justice. It will favour projects that demonstrate originality and potential impact.

The fellowships are administered and promoted by the Melbourne Press Club. They are awarded by an independent panel appointed by the club in partnership with the Gordon family.

Funding Information

• The maximum individual grant is $10,000 but, in exceptional circumstances, a larger grant may be agreed at the discretion of the selection panel. Typically, successful applicants receive grants in the range of $4,000 and $7,000.
• The grants contribute to costs incurred in researching, producing and publishing social justice journalism by Australians working in Australia or on assignment overseas. This includes such items as transport, accommodation, research assistance and other related costs.
• Freelance applicants may also seek a daily allowance of $200 towards their labour during the period of research, travel and publishing.
• Up to two people can travel on one grant (for example, a journalist and a videographer). • Fellows will need to be self-reliant. All arrangements, including transport, accommodation, visas and travel insurance will be the responsibility of the applicant.

Eligibility Criteria

• Australian journalists, photographers and videographers working in print, broadcast and digital media, freelance journalists and accomplished journalism students are welcome to apply.
• Applicants must demonstrate an established track record in the media or have their skills vouched for by recognised professionals.
• The grants are intended to enable the creation of content for established media outlets, including newer digital outlets, and cannot be used to fund academic research or for a personal blog.
• All applicants must undertake to adhere to the code of ethics published by the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, observe the laws of Australia and any other countries visited in the course of their research and agree not to engage in any conduct that would bring into disrepute the Michael Gordon Fellowships program.
• Fellows will need to demonstrate how they will achieve their research project outcome pending any travel restrictions and border closures.

Application Requirements

• A written outline of the story or project proposal and what it seeks to achieve in no more than 750 words (all information will be treated as confidential).
• Your outline needs to demonstrate how the project will highlight inequity and injustice with insight, fairness and compassion – and/or champion those who work to achieve social justice.
• A budget of the expected costs to be incurred in travel, accommodation and related expenses and, in the case of freelance and student journalists, the number of working days you wish to claim. The budget should be supported as much as possible with fully quoted costs, not estimates.
• A statement about destinations you intend to travel to – and how.
• A statement identifying health and safety risks involved in the travel and how these will be managed.
• A statement about how the research project will be achieved, pending any travel restrictions and border closures.
• Applicants employed by media organisations must provide written confirmation of support for their application from an appropriate editor, news director or producer.
• For freelancers and students, written confirmation of intention to publish from an established media outlet is required.
• Contact details of employers or commissioning editors will be requested for verification by the selection panel.
• Applicants employed by mainstream media organisations are encouraged to propose budgets that acknowledge a co-contribution by their employers.

For more information, visit Melbourne Press Club.