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IRE offers numerous fellowships and scholarships each year, thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and donors. Assistance typically includes a one-year IRE membership/renewal and the program registration fee.
Note: Eligibility for IRE fellowships and scholarships renews every three years. For example, if you received a fellowship in 2024, you will be eligible again in 2027.
IRE uses a common application for most fellowships and scholarships. Applications for 2026 Data Journalism Bootcamps will open later this year.
Ottaway Fellowships — Journalists, educators and students of color, those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, and/or those with disabilities are eligible to apply.
Holly Whisenhunt Stephen Fellowships — TV and/or radio journalists are eligible to apply.
R-CAR Fellowship — U.S. professional journalists working for small news organizations with a significant rural audience and demonstrated rural readership, and freelance journalists serving rural communities. This fellowship does not use the common app. Please apply using this application.
IRE uses a common application for most fellowships and scholarships. Think you'd be a fit for more than one fellowship below? Great! We'll make sure you're considered for as many awards as possible.
Eric B. Sager Scholarships — U.S. journalists and independent journalists are eligible. Journalists from trade publications and small outlets are encouraged to apply. These scholarships provide assistance to attend the IRE, NICAR or AccessFest Conference.
Godfrey Wells Stancill Fellowships — U.S. journalists working for a newspaper with a Sunday circulation of under 50,000. These fellowships provide assistance to attend the IRE Conference.
Diversity Fellowships — Journalists, educators and students of color, those who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, and/or those with disabilities are eligible to apply. These fellowships provide assistance to attend the IRE, NICAR or AccessFest Conference.
Napoli Management Group TV Scholarships — U.S. early-career (five or fewer years of post-college work experience) TV journalists interested in investigative reporting. These fellowships provide assistance to attend the IRE Conference.
Gary Marx Scholarships — U.S. college journalism students and early-career journalists (five years post-college graduation). Preference will be given to applicants from Illinois. These scholarships provide assistance to attend the IRE, NICAR or AccessFest Conference.
Jennifer Leonard Scholarships — Women of modest means who are college journalism students or early-career professional journalists (three years or less of post-college work experience). Women of color and trans women are encouraged to apply. These scholarships provide assistance to attend the IRE, NICAR or AccessFest Conference.
James Richard Bennett Scholarships — Journalism students in Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma or Louisiana. University of Arkansas, Fayetteville students are not eligible. These scholarships provide assistance to attend the IRE or NICAR Conference.
David Donald Fellowships for Data Journalism — Journalism educators who teach data journalism and investigative reporting. These fellowships provide assistance to attend the NICAR Conference or an IRE Data Journalism Bootcamp.
The following fellowships have their own unique applications.
Named in honor of the late Chauncey Bailey, this investigative reporting fellowship is intended to prepare and support a journalist of color for a solid career in investigative reporting. The yearlong program provides assistance to attend an IRE Data Journalism Bootcamp, the NICAR Conference and the IRE Conference.
As part of the program, fellows also work on an investigative reporting project benefiting their communities, while receiving IRE data services, mentorship, and support. Applications will open in May 2025.
IRE's Freelance Fellowship supports nonfiction projects which demonstrate impact, breadth and significance. It is intended to support journalists who make their living primarily as freelancers and need assistance in conducting investigative projects. Applications will open in July 2025.
This grant supports journalists pursuing an investigative reporting project on public health and/or disability issues. It offers a $10,000 cash award and assistance to attend the IRE Conference. The application deadline has passed.
This fellowship supports journalists and independent journalists with less than 10 years’ professional experience and a demonstrated interest in financial investigative journalism who have a financial need for assistance. It provides assistance to attend the IRE Conference. The application deadline has passed.
This fellowship supports U.S. professional journalists working for small news organizations with a significant rural audience and demonstrated rural readership, and freelance journalists serving rural communities. It provides assistance to attend an IRE Data Journalism Bootcamp. The application deadline is May 6, 2025.
This fellowship supports journalists with less than five years of experience working in daily or weekly print news organizations or digital-only news outlets. The fund is dedicated to helping journalists pursue “the news of the day with the compassion and craft that became the hallmark of Mike’s work.” It provides assistance to attend the IRE Conference. The application deadline has passed.
If you have questions or need more information about fellowships, please contact Rashika Jaipuriar, Director of Marketing and Outreach, at rashika@ire.org.
Do you want to pay it forward by donating to an existing fellowship or scholarship? Make a donation. Please note the name in the online form. Are you interested in creating a new fellowship or scholarship? Contact Anna López, Director of Partnerships, at anna@ire.org.
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