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Are you a journalist with a great idea for a high-impact story that “Follows the Money” but few resources to get it done? The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism would like to hear from you.
Opportunity Details
The McGraw Fellowship provides editorial and financial support to journalists who need the time and resources to produce a significant investigative or enterprise story that provides fresh insight into an important business, financial or economic topic. We accept applications for in-depth text, audio and short-form video pieces. Unfortunately, we cannot support long-form documentaries at this time. The McGraw Fellowship is not a residency Fellowship. All McGraw Fellows work from their own offices.
The McGraw Center provides editorial supervision during the Fellowship. We work with the Fellows to develop their projects during the reporting phase and frequently edit the completed stories. We also assist with placing the articles in established print, audio or digital outlets. The stories run on the McGraw Center website as well. You’ll find them on the Fellowship Stories page.
The Fellowship provides a grant of up to $15,000 for each project. The exact amount will depend on the time it takes to complete the project and the expenses needed. Freelance journalists may use some of the funding as a stipend for living expenses during the Fellowship. They look for applicants with a proven ability to report and execute a complex project in their proposed medium; ideally, candidates will also have a strong background or reporting expertise on the subject of their project.
The McGraw Fellowship for Business Journalism is open to anyone with at least five years professional experience in journalism. We support work by freelance journalists, as well as by reporters and editors currently working at a news organization or a journalism non-profit. In the latter case, reporters and editors can apply directly in the name of their organization.
Applicants should submit a well-focused story proposal of no more than three pages through the accompanying online form. Think of it as pitch, much like you would submit to an editor at a newspaper, magazine, audio or digital outlet: give them enough preliminary reporting and documentation to demonstrate that the story is solid. The proposal should highlight what’s new and significant about the story, why it matters and what its potential impact might be. The proposal should also note where significant stories on the subject have run elsewhere and how the proposed piece would differ. Applicants should also briefly outline a proposed reporting plan and a timeline for completing the story. And while you don’t need to have a media outlet lined up for your story before you apply, if you do have one, let us know that in your proposal.
In addition, applicants should enclose three journalism samples. The samples should be professionally published work that showcases your ability to tackle an in-depth story in the proposed medium. Please also provide us with an up-to-date resume. No references are required at the time of application, but those who are chosen as finalists will be asked to provide references from two editors or others familiar with their work. Freelance applicants for whom getting references is a problem can discuss alternatives with the McGraw Center.
You’ll find answers to many questions in their Frequently Asked Questions, as well as more information on their current Fellows and their projects here. The Fellowship Stories page contains links to all of the stories they have published.
They accept applications twice a year. Applications for the Fall 2025 Fellowships will be due October 13, 2025. (Please note that the 2025 application deadlines have been changed from the dates originally scheduled.) We will also consider time-sensitive projects on a case-by-case basis outside of the deadline periods. If you have a project that might qualify, or further questions, please contact us at [email protected].
Apply for Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Center for Business Journalism Fellowship