The Rainforest Reporting Grant, administered by the Pulitzer Center, supports ambitious short-term journalism projects focusing on the tropical rainforests of the Amazon, Central Africa, and Southeast Asia. This program continues the legacy of the Pulitzer Center’s Rainforest Journalism Fund, which backed over 600 journalists to produce 1,700 impactful stories over five years. These stories have illuminated a wide spectrum of pressing environmental and social issues, including illegal deforestation, Indigenous rights, extractive industries, biodiversity loss, and forest governance failures.
The grant invites proposals that demonstrate innovative approaches to journalism, with a focus on underreported or systemic issues in rainforest regions. Applicants are encouraged to explore topics such as cross-border wildlife and timber trafficking, agro-industrial expansion, artisanal mining, palm oil production, and emerging carbon market schemes. Proposals leveraging data analysis, collaborative reporting, or technological tools are especially welcomed, and the initiative aims to support reporting that fosters transparency and drives environmental accountability.
Applications are accepted from staff and freelance journalists, and proposals may be submitted in English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, or Bahasa Indonesia. A successful application requires a clear 250-word project description, a preliminary budget detailing anticipated costs, and a robust distribution plan that ensures the proposed reporting reaches relevant audiences. The Pulitzer Center underscores its commitment to diversity and inclusion by encouraging teams that reflect the communities they report on.
Funding is designated for journalistic reporting and excludes uses such as book writing, feature-length films, staff salaries, equipment purchases (with rare exceptions for rentals), and general operational costs of media outlets. The grant does not support advocacy campaigns or academic research-only data initiatives. However, stories developed with the support of this grant must be published independently in a media outlet.
There is no set application deadline, as proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis. Applicants can expect a response within approximately two weeks after submission. For questions or assistance with the application process, prospective grantees are encouraged to contact reacheditorial@pulitzercenter.org. The funder’s primary office is located in Washington, DC.
Ensure proposals emphasize underreported issues in rainforests, show innovation or collaboration, and have strong distribution plans.
