Media Travel Grants for Journalists (New Zealand)

Media travel grants are awarded on a competitive basis to journalists who have a clear plan of the stories they want to cover.

Applications that provide information about proposed features and interviewees, outlets for the stories, supporting letters from relevant editors/producers, costs and itineraries have a greater chance of acceptance.

Cost Covered

• The grant can be used to cover most work-related costs, including return economy airfares, insurance, accommodation and visa and airport taxes.
• Please note the Foundation:
  • May not be able to fund the full amount of some projects.
  • Funds visits to Asia of up to three weeks’ duration.
  • Does not make travel arrangements for media travel grant recipients and cannot sponsor visas. It is your responsibility to obtain the appropriate visas for your travel.
• They are not currently funding projects that involve international travel to countries that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has advised against travelling to.

What they are looking for?

• The Foundation will consider proposals that seek to increase New Zealanders’ understanding of the Asia region, and proposals that promote themes of economic, political, social or strategic change in Asia – and the implications of these changes for New Zealand.

Ineligible Proposals

• Proposals that are unlikely to succeed include:
  • Proposals in which journalism is not the core reason for travel. The Foundation is unlikely to approve grant applications from people who are travelling to Asia for another reason (e.g. family holidays, competing in a sports event) and plan to write stories for publication on the side.
  • oApplications with a purely travel focus (e.g. a cycling tour of Japan) are unlikely to be successful.
  • oSingle-story proposals are unlikely to succeed, as are single-person interviews that could be conducted by telephone.
  • oApplications from journalists based offshore are less likely to succeed. New Zealand-based journalists will have preference.
  • Note for television crews: the Foundation is unable to support travel by more than two people on the same project.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be:
  • either working as journalists for New Zealand news organisations or as freelance journalists
  • New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.
• Preference will be given to candidates who:
  • are interested in deepening their knowledge of Asia
  • have a proven track record in journalism
  • can provide a stimulating, well-researched and focused proposal outlining story ideas
  • Can demonstrate that their material is likely to reach a substantial audience.
• Journalists working for news organisations should provide a letter of support from their employer. Freelancers should provide correspondence showing that one or more news organisation(s) will publish/broadcast work resulting from the proposed project.

For more information, visit Asia New Zealand Foundation.