Personal assistance for grant eligibility questions

FIRE is pleased to begin arranging private individual consultations to help reporters and outlets navigate applications for one of three $25,000 Greenlight Grants by the deadline this month.

Inquiries for the grants, which will be accepted until 11:59pm ET, Monday, April 27, will be reviewed only after the deadline closes.

But starting April 8, any potential applicant may email application@firenewsroom.org to request clarity on any element of the new application process—along with a brief confidential phone appointment if needed.

As outlined, the path to a Greenlight Grant starts with a simple email inquiry by the April 27 deadline, which would describe the story and mention the proposed outlet.

But if the inquiry is accepted, reporters would then "co-apply" with the outlet that would publish or broadcast the proposed story. The outlet must meet best-practice standards for engaging freelance reporters in the public interest.

It’s an unusual approach. Because reporters have raised practical questions about the process, the website reflects new intelligence—which will be supplemented by the individual consultations.

Given limited resources, FIRE will give priority to questions that

• are clearly articulated in a brief email (we conduct substantial review of materials only after the deadline)
• reflect some familiarity with the FIRE website, especially Applying for Greenlight Grants, the grant application form, and FAQ

In an email to application@firenewsroom.org, please concisely summarize any question and relevant context; and, if interested in a phone call, your availability (ET) on any Tuesday or Thursday before deadline. FIRE will do its best to respond within two business days.

More on the Greenlight Grants below and here.

Please note: To accommodate the Greenlight Grant inquiries, FIRE is suspending review of all other inquiries, including those for Virtual Newsroom standard grants, until after May 15.