Investigative Reporting Fellowship 2026: Get P118,000 to Report on Extreme Weather in the Philippines

If you cover climate, disasters, governance or environmental crimes in the Philippines and you want dedicated time, mentorship and a production grant to pursue a hard-hitting investigation, this fellowship is built for you. Internews’ Earth Journalism Network (EJN) is offering up to 12 fellowships of P118,000 each to Filipino journalists for investigative stories on extreme weather preparedness, disaster spending and the real-world performance of resilience projects. The program also includes a three-day investigative reporting workshop, ongoing mentorship, and expectations that your story will be published by the end of May 2026.

This is not a networking lunch with a stipend attached. It’s a focused reporting program: propose a rigorous, accountability-driven story; get training and editorial support; receive funding to report it; and publish — quickly. If you can unpack budgets, find hard evidence of engineering failure, or trace how ecosystems have been degraded in ways that worsen storms and floods, your work will be exactly what they’re looking for.

At a Glance

Why this fellowship matters — and why you should care

Extreme weather is not an abstract beat in the Philippines; it’s an everyday emergency that shapes politics, budgets and lives. Disaster risk funds, flood gates, mangrove protection — these are where policy meets reality. Yet the public rarely gets the full account of whether money actually builds resilience, whether a seawall held up because it was well-engineered or because an inspection was skipped, or whether mangrove loss is being driven by illegal interests.

This fellowship fills a stubborn gap: it funds investigative journalism that holds accountable the institutions and businesses responsible for preparation and response. For reporters, the fellowship offers more than cash. The three-day workshop will sharpen methods — think document requests, open-data analysis, and forensic interviewing — while the mentorship gives you an editorial sparring partner who can help you navigate complex beats across agencies and jurisdictions. And the requirement to publish quickly ensures your investigation reaches audiences when it can still influence policy or procurement debates.

Finally, the fellowship is explicitly aimed at stories that can cause change. If your reporting can show misallocated Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) funds, expose substandard construction, or connect illegal mining to landslide risk, this grant gives you the runway to pursue evidence and push for accountability.

What This Opportunity Offers (200+ words)

The headline benefit is a project grant of P118,000 per fellow. That money is intended to cover reporting costs: travel to affected communities, data purchase or FOI fees, stipends for local fixers and translators, laboratory testing (water, soil), document digitization, and modest equipment or software subscriptions needed for data analysis and multimedia production.

Beyond cash, the fellowship provides a tightly practical three-day investigative reporting workshop led by experienced journalists and editors. Expect sessions on building FOI strategies, analyzing procurement contracts and construction documents, basic forensic engineering literacy (how to read an engineering report), and using simple data visualization to make findings accessible to readers and policymakers. After the workshop, fellows receive one-on-one editorial mentorship while researching and reporting their stories.

There’s an emphasis on publication and reach: you must provide a signed letter from a news organization or publisher committing to publish the final story, and the program asks that content be accessible to audiences (paywalled pieces should have arrangements to ensure access or additional outlets). Fellows will need to publish by the end of May 2026 — a tight timeframe designed to keep investigations timely and actionable.

This combination of training, mentorship and grant money is especially valuable for mid-career and freelance journalists who lack institutional backing for long-form investigative work. The funding is large enough to support substantive reporting while the mentorship helps you refine scope and methods, increasing the chances your story will have real impact.

Who Should Apply (200+ words)

This fellowship is tailored for reporters who have at least two years of professional journalism experience and a demonstrated track record covering environmental, climate, or governance issues. That includes staff reporters at national outlets, local beat reporters, community journalists, broadcast reporters, and seasoned freelancers. If you have experience with investigative methods — filing FOI requests, working with datasets, conducting public procurement analysis — you’re in a strong position. But EJN also welcomes applicants who can show they’ve done rigorous reporting even without formal investigative labels.

A few real-world applicant examples:

• A local radio reporter who has covered recurring flood events and can document how municipal DRRM budgets were spent but lacks funding for travel to inspect multiple barangays.
• A freelance data journalist who has FOI experience and wants to trace the flow of national DRRM funds through municipalities to projects that failed during a recent storm.
• A television producer who has footage of damaged coastal infrastructure and seeks funding to commission engineering assessments and interview affected communities.
• Reporters from community-based outlets who can connect grassroots impacts (lost livelihoods, destroyed mangroves) to higher-level policy and procurement decisions.

Applicants must be based in the Philippines. The fellowship explicitly encourages applications from freelancers and community-based media — but you must provide a signed letter of commitment from a publisher or outlet that guarantees publication or broadcast of the completed story. That publication commitment is non-negotiable because the program’s goal is public accountability.

Also note: applicants must declare any use of generative AI tools in preparing their proposals. Submitting AI-generated work as your own or engaging in unethical professional conduct can lead to disqualification.

Story Themes and examples

EJN lists priority themes but doesn’t insist you stay boxed into them. The program explicitly welcomes proposals focusing on:

• Financial accountability: tracing DRRM fund allocations and spending. Example: Following a municipal DRRM allocation through procurement documents to a contractor with a history of noncompliance.
• Infrastructure effectiveness: testing whether big-ticket resilience projects performed as promised during extreme weather. Example: Inspecting a seawall claimed to prevent storm surge that failed during a recent typhoon.
• Preparedness and policy gaps: revealing mismatches between official plans and on-the-ground readiness. Example: Comparing disaster response coordination plans to actual interagency performance during a landslide.
• Ecosystem collapse: linking environmental degradation to increased disaster risk. Example: Showing how mangrove clearance and illegal quarrying have amplified storm surge impacts for coastal communities.

Pick a theme that gives you a clear investigative hook and a route to public impact — for example, a policy change, a procurement audit, or local enforcement action.

Judging Criteria (short narrative)

Panels will assess proposals on five core axes: relevance, originality of angle, audience reach and access, likely impact, and storytelling innovation. You need to show why this story matters, how your angle adds new information, that you have a practical plan to reach readers (and a committed publisher), and that your work will prompt discussion, scrutiny, or action. Creative use of multimedia, data visualization, and community reporting will score points — but the backbone must be verifiable evidence and a plausible plan to gather it.

Required Materials (150+ words)

Your application will need several concrete items. Prepare these early because some take time:

• A clear investigative story proposal (detailed narrative): explain the question you will investigate, why it matters, your methodology, sources you’ll approach (officials, engineers, community members), documents you’ll request, and a timeline for research and publication.
• Budget and justification: itemize how you will spend the P118,000 (travel, FOI fees, testing, honoraria, equipment, data purchases). Be realistic and prioritize essential investigative expenses.
• CV or biographical sketch: show previous work and relevant skills.
• Signed letter of commitment from a publisher/editor guaranteeing publication by end of May 2026. If your outlet uses paywalls, include a plan to ensure public access (extra outlets, open access arrangements).
• Samples or links to prior reporting, especially any environmental, climate or investigative pieces.
• Statement on AI use: disclose any generative AI tools used in preparing the proposal.
• Contact information and institutional details if applicable.

Tip: Draft the publisher letter early. Some editors need time to sign and may require an internal pitch. Treat that letter as part of your application package, not a formality you can get at the last minute.

Insider Tips for a Winning Application (300+ words)

This fellowship is competitive; to stand out, you must combine ambition with realism. Here are tactical ways to make your proposal compelling.

First, frame a tight investigative question. Don’t propose “cover disaster preparedness” broadly. Instead ask: “Were the last three years of DRRM funds in Province X used on projects that actually reduced flood risk?” or “Did a P100 million seawall meet engineering standards and local procurement rules?” A crisp question gives reviewers confidence you can deliver within the schedule and budget.

Second, show evidence you’ve already started. If you’ve filed FOI requests, cite the response or the lack of one. If you’ve visited communities, include field notes or preliminary interviews. Even small preliminaries — a municipal budget line you’ve located, a contractor registration record — signal feasibility.

Third, map your sources and data. List specific agencies (DPWH, DILG, provincial DRRM offices), likely document types (contracts, inspection reports, budget execution documents), and potential expert collaborators (engineers, coastal scientists, budget analysts). If you can name a local NGO or academic who will help with field access or data interpretation, do so.

Fourth, be explicit about impact. Say what change you expect your story to prompt: a formal inquiry, a suspension of funds, an audit, policy clarification, or public debate. Impact is not a buzzword here — concrete outcomes matter. If you anticipate that publishing will prompt an investigation or policy discussion, explain the mechanism: who needs to act, and why your evidence would push them to act.

Fifth, make your budget realistic and defensible. Funders dislike vague lines like “research expenses.” Break costs down: transportation for two trips to 3 barangays (X PHP), lab testing of soil/water samples (Y PHP), local fixers/honoraria (Z PHP), FOI/legal documents (A PHP). Don’t underfund travel or show unrealistic savings on field costs.

Sixth, prepare for safety and ethics. Investigative reporting on corruption or illegal activity can carry risks. Include an ethics and security plan: how you will protect sources, handle sensitive documents, and ensure your personal safety during fieldwork.

Finally, polish your proposal. Clear, jargon-free writing wins. Use short, direct sentences for the core idea, then add methodological specifics. Have an editor or colleague outside your beat read it — if they can explain your proposal back to you succinctly, you’ve succeeded.

Application Timeline (150+ words)

Work backward from the January 9, 2026 deadline. A practical schedule:

• December (start immediately): Finalize your investigative question, reach out to the outlet for the publication letter, and sketch a draft budget. Begin compiling sample work and references.
• Mid-December: File any preliminary Freedom of Information requests you can, or at least identify documents and the offices that hold them. Line up potential expert contacts for mentorship.
• Late December: Complete your full proposal draft. Circulate it to a peer or editor for blunt feedback; expect at least two rounds of revision.
• First week of January 2026: Collect the signed publisher letter, finalize your budget and CV, and prepare the AI-use disclosure. Aim to submit at least 48–72 hours before the official deadline in case of technical issues.
• After award (if selected): Attend the three-day workshop (dates to be provided), then follow the reporting timeline you included in your proposal to ensure publication by the end of May 2026.

Because publication is required by the end of May 2026, your research plan must be realistic. If your story relies on months-long forensic testing or on awaiting slow audit reports, build those constraints into your scope or propose a phased investigation.

What Makes an Application Stand Out (200+ words)

Successful proposals blend novelty, feasibility and public reach. Novelty means bringing a fresh angle to a covered topic — not simply re-reporting what others have published. For example, if flooding has been covered repeatedly, a standout approach would be to connect procurement contracts, inspection reports and on-the-ground failure patterns to show systemic weaknesses.

Feasibility is shown through preparatory work: named sources, specific documents, preliminary FOI outcomes, and a realistic budget. Judges want to know you can complete your story inside the fellowship window.

Reach and impact require a concrete publishing plan. A proposal that commits to publication in a high-readership national outlet and a simultaneous local version (or community radio) will look stronger than one with vague distribution hopes. If your outlet is paywalled, secure an arrangement to make the EJN-supported report accessible or arrange syndication.

Innovative storytelling counts. Using data visualizations, short documentaries, interactive maps, or community-driven reportage can amplify impact — but innovation should support clarity, not distract from evidence. Finally, ethical rigor and source protection plans are increasingly weighted: reviewers want to see you’ve thought through potential reprisals and how you’ll secure sensitive materials.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (200+ words)

Many applicants trip over a handful of avoidable problems.

1. Vague scope. Don’t propose to “investigate disaster preparedness” without a specific question and sources. Narrow your scope to something you can research and publish by May 2026.

2. Weak publication commitment. A casual promise from an editor is not enough. Provide a signed letter that commits to publishing by the deadline and clarifies access (open or paywalled). No letter, no eligibility.

3. Unrealistic budget. Don’t under-budget travel, translation, or technical costs. Conversely, don’t pad the budget with vague line items. Itemize and justify each cost.

4. Overreliance on secondhand reports. Original evidence — documents, field inspections, interviews with named witnesses — strengthens investigative findings. If your plan depends mainly on other media reports, expand your evidence collection plan.

5. Ignoring safety and ethics. Failing to address source protection, secure data handling, and field safety raises red flags. Include a short but concrete plan for these items.

6. Missing the deadline. Submit early. Technical issues happen and last-minute submissions are risky.

Frequently Asked Questions (200+ words)

Q: Can freelancers apply?
A: Yes. Freelancers are explicitly welcome, but must provide a signed letter from a publisher committing to publish the final piece by the end of May 2026.

Q: Is P118,000 enough?
A: It’s intended for a single, focused investigative piece. For many reporters, that amount covers field travel, basic testing, local fixers, and data analysis tools. If your project requires more funding, consider scaling your scope or identifying partner funding and explain it in your budget.

Q: What about AI use?
A: Be transparent. Disclose any generative AI used to prepare your proposal. EJN may disqualify applicants who submit AI-generated content as their own or who engage in unethical conduct.

Q: Do I need prior investigative experience?
A: Demonstrated reporting on environmental, climate, or governance topics is required. Formal investigative experience strengthens your application, but documented rigor in past reporting can suffice.

Q: Can stories be in regional languages or broadcast formats?
A: Yes. The fellowship accepts proposals for any medium — online, print, television, radio — as long as the publisher commits to timely publication and the story reaches the intended audience.

Q: What happens after publication?
A: Fellows will likely participate in follow-up mentorship to amplify impact and may be asked to share lessons learned. EJN may also request reporting metrics and documentation of outcomes.

Q: Are international collaborators allowed?
A: The fellowship focuses on journalists based in the Philippines. You can involve external experts, but primary reporting and the fellow must be Philippines-based.

How to Apply / Next Steps (100+ words)

Ready to apply? Don’t wait until the last minute. Start by drafting your investigative question, lining up a publisher willing to sign a publication commitment, and itemizing your budget. Collect previous reporting samples and prepare an AI-use disclosure.

Submit your application by January 9, 2026. Aim to upload everything 48–72 hours before the deadline to avoid technical problems.

Apply here: https://earthjournalism.us.auth0.com/u/login?state=hKFo2SA4aFFpNm1oRTNpN3Z5TzNsc1Frb0dxbXBFWmpwUTBxYaFur3VuaXZlcnNhbC1sb2dpbqN0aWTZIGsyUEFHa25aeW5QQVczODYwMHRYOTd5RlRqYmVhSk9Oo2NpZNkgM1FXQUR2SUVLdktHMkt6UzFOazRaUWJUb3N4ME5YcW0

For more program details and contact information, visit the EJN fellowship page linked above. If you want feedback on your proposal draft before you submit, seek out a trusted editor or colleague now — proposals that have had at least two external reads are far stronger. Good luck — this funding can be the difference between a quick news brief and a story that forces institutions to account for how they protect communities from extreme weather.