Call for Applications: Simon Cumbers Media Fund 2025 Now Open

Supporting Irish Journalists Reporting on Global Development Issues

The Simon Cumbers Media Fund is now accepting functions for its 2025 funding cycle. This prestigious initiative, managed by Irish Aid and administered by DHR Communications, offers monetary assist to journalists in Ireland to report on world improvement points from the Global South. It seeks to advertise nuanced, impactful, and well-researched journalism for Irish audiences by facilitating field-based reporting journeys for media professionals.

About the Fund

The Simon Cumbers Media Fund was created in reminiscence of Irish journalist Simon Cumbers, who was tragically killed whereas working for the BBC in Saudi Arabia in 2004. Since its inception in 2005, the fund has served as a tribute to Cumbers’ dedication to worldwide journalism and has aimed to foster high-quality media protection of essentially the most urgent improvement points throughout the globe.

The core goal of the fund is to deepen public understanding of worldwide improvement themes by accountable, fact-based journalism that displays the complexity and variety of life within the Global South. It encourages the exploration of optimistic developments in addition to challenges, with specific give attention to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Ireland’s worldwide improvement coverage, A Better World.

What the Fund Supports

Journalists awarded funding will be capable to journey to creating nations to pursue authentic reporting tasks for publication or broadcast within the Irish media. The fund helps all kinds of media codecs, together with print, broadcast, and on-line journalism, with a desire for multimedia or cross-platform tasks.

Applicants are inspired to suggest tasks that:

• Address key worldwide improvement themes.

• Highlight innovation, entrepreneurship, and development.

• Challenge stereotypes whereas presenting each challenges and achievements within the Global South.

• Engage with underreported points linked to world fairness, sustainability, and human rights.

Importantly, every application should be supported by a confirmed letter of dedication from a longtime Irish media outlet that could be a member of the Press Council of Ireland or one other recognised skilled physique. The media outlet should decide to publishing or broadcasting the journalist’s remaining piece.

Eligibility Criteria

The Simon Cumbers Media Fund is open to:

• Professional journalists, whether or not workers or freelance, with a demonstrated observe report in media.

• Applicants affiliated with respected media shops, legally integrated for a minimum of one yr previous to the application deadline.

• Media professionals submitting new tasks, which means content material that has not been beforehand printed, broadcast, or exhibited.

• Collaborative candidates, akin to journalist-photographer groups, are allowed however should present a powerful rationale for the partnership.

Note that candidates who’re at present receiving different Irish Aid funding for the identical venture will not be eligible for this fund.

Application Process

Applications for the Simon Cumbers Media Fund 2025 are managed by the SurveyMonkey Apply platform. Interested candidates should:

1. Create an account on the platform here.

2. Verify their electronic mail and entry the “Simon Cumbers Media Fund 2025 – Application Form”.

3. Complete the shape by the deadline: Friday, 19 September 2025, at 5:00 PM IST.

4. Upload a PDF of the letter of dedication from a media outlet and supply an in depth venture funds.

Applicants can save their progress and return to finish the application earlier than submission. All submitted tasks shall be reviewed by the Fund’s judging panel, and choices shall be made primarily based on the readability, relevance, feasibility, and potential affect of the proposals.

Why Apply?

The Simon Cumbers Media Fund gives an distinctive alternative for Irish journalists to:

• Access monetary assist for in-depth worldwide reporting.

• Collaborate with main media shops to lift consciousness of worldwide improvement points.

• Contribute to Ireland’s public dialogue on worldwide fairness and sustainability.

• Honour the legacy of a journalist dedicated to justice, reality, and world understanding.

This is a beneficial probability for media professionals who’re obsessed with highlighting world tales and giving voice to communities usually underrepresented in mainstream media.

Important Dates

• Applications Open: 1 July 2025, 9:00 AM IST

• Deadline to Apply: 19 September 2025, 5:00 PM IST

Applicants are strongly inspired to start the method early and overview all mandatory documentation, together with the complete application tips accessible on the fund’s web site.

Contact and Additional Information

For extra data, application tips, and to entry the submission portal, please go to the official website.

For inquiries, you’ll be able to contact the administration crew at: data@simoncumbersmediafund.ie

To discover comparable alternatives, go to Opportunities for Youth web site.