Alaska Center for Excellence in Journalism Initiatives

The Alaska Center for Excellence in Journalism (ACEJ), with support from the Atwood Foundation, is offering fall grant funding to support journalistic projects focused on underreported or complex issues in Alaska. The opportunity is designed to advance impactful journalism through financial support of in-depth reporting, collaborative efforts, and arts and culture coverage. Funding is administered in collaboration with the Alaska Community Foundation, and applicants are directed to apply through its online grants portal. There are two primary funding tracks available in the Fall 2025 cycle. The first is the Alaska Impact Reporting Initiative, which supports journalism that helps the public better understand complex or overlooked issues facing Alaskans. The total pool for this initiative is $36,000, and although a single award of up to $36,000 may be granted, the selection committee may choose to allocate multiple smaller grants. The second is the Alaska Arts Reporting Initiative, which focuses on elevating arts and culture reporting in the state. This fund offers a total of $10,000, with the maximum individual award also capped at $10,000. Most grants under this initiative are expected to range around $5,000. The application window opens August 1, 2025, and closes October 1, 2025. Proposals must be submitted by the deadline through the online application system managed by the Alaska Community Foundation. Applicants are required to secure a Letter of Commitment from an editor or news organization confirming their intention to publish or broadcast the proposed work, assuming it meets editorial standards. The letter must detail editorial oversight and must be submitted on official letterhead. Projects must be supported by a specific and itemized budget that identifies all additional sources of funding, with allowable expenses including travel, document acquisition, equipment rental, and professional services such as editing or data analysis. Grants may cover up to 50% of journalist wages in addition to direct project expenses. ACEJ releases approved grant funding in two disbursements: half upon project approval, and the remaining half upon successful completion and publication or broadcast. However, the second disbursement is contingent on completion by the agreed-upon deadline, and failure to deliver may forfeit the final payment. Eligibility is limited to projects in which the majority of the reporting team is based in Alaska. While collaboration is encouraged, the program also supports individual journalists. All applicants must adhere to a recognized journalism code of ethics, such as that of the Society of Professional Journalists or the National Press Photographers Association. Applicants are evaluated by a three-member ACEJ grant review committee, which notifies applicants of decisions approximately four weeks after the close of the application window. Questions about grant requirements can be directed to Director Kortnie Horazdovsky at info@akjournalism.org, while technical support for the application portal is available via the Alaska Community Foundation. Applicants should note that ACEJ assumes no legal or safety liability for grantee reporting activities. Confidentiality of proposals is maintained within the review committee and program administrators, ensuring sensitive ideas are not shared beyond the evaluation process.

Obtain Letter of Commitment before starting; include specific expense estimates; adhere to SPJ/NPP ethics codes.