Grist opens applications for new rural reporting grants on climate and environmental justice

Thanks to a generous donor, Grist will once again offer grants to newsrooms to report stories on rural America. This time, stories must focus on climate or environmental justice. 

In 2023, Grist and the Center for Rural Strategies awarded $100,000 to newsrooms and freelancers around the country to produce stories about rural communities. This initiative produced more than 50 stories from around the country.

For this new round of funding, applicants can request up to $5,000 per project. Decisions will be sent by January 5, 2026, and reporting must be published by May 31, 2026.

Interested newsrooms and freelancers may apply using this form until December 8, 2025 at 6pm ET.

For more information, please see the FAQ below. If you have additional questions, please reach out to Rachel Glickhouse, Grist’s partnerships director. 

Frequently asked questions

What kind of stories are you looking for?

Stories must focus on rural communities in the United States, as well as on climate change or environmental justice. Many issues intersect with climate, such as energy, agriculture, health, water, and more. See Grist’s latest stories for examples.

What kind of newsrooms are eligible?

National, regional, local, and hyperlocal newsrooms are all welcome to apply. Non-English language newsrooms are welcome to apply as long as stories will also be published in English.

Can freelancers apply?

Freelancers are welcome to apply. They must either have a commitment from a newsroom to publish their story, or the story will be considered for publication in Grist.

Can more than one newsroom apply for a single grant?

Yes, two or more newsrooms are welcome to apply together on a single project as a collaborative effort.

What kind of story format or medium are you looking for?

Newsrooms can publish stories in any format — including in print, digital, broadcast radio or television. Multimedia content (such as audio or video) must be able to be embedded and shared online.

Can newsrooms apply for multiple grants?

Applicants may apply multiple times if they have more than one project idea, but each person/newsroom is eligible for only one grant.

How much funding can I request?

Applicants can request up to $5,000 per project. 

When is the deadline to apply?

Proposals must be submitted by December 8, 2025 at 6pm ET.

How and when will grantees be notified?

Decisions will be sent via email by January 5, 2026.

Is there a reporting deadline?

Yes, stories must be finished and published (in print, broadcast, or online) by May 31, 2026.

Are there other grant reporting requirements?

Grant recipients must agree to have their story included on the Rural News Wire and made available for other news organizations to republish, including at Grist. 

Beyond that, staff at Grist may request occasional check in meetings to track progress on projects. Grant recipients may also be asked to fill out a short evaluation form at the conclusion of their project to provide feedback on the grant program. 

How do you define “rural” reporting?

Various government agencies use different definitions for rural, and none of them are perfect or clear cut. The Daily Yonder, an award-winning newsroom focused on rural America, uses the federal Office of Management and Budget’s definition for “nonmetropolitan” — counties where no city is larger than 50,000 residents or where a county that is smaller than that does not have strong economic ties to an adjoining metropolitan county — as a starting point for identifying rural regions. To see how your area fits into this definition, you can reference the Daily Yonder’s map of counties by metropolitan and nonmetropolitan status. It’s OK if your project doesn’t strictly meet this definition or uses a different one, but be prepared to articulate how you define the rural identity or status of the area and communities you are covering.

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