2026 Mini Grants For Contributors
The Black Writers and Journalists’ Workshop’s Mini Grants for Contributing Reporters and Writers are designed to provide a minimum of $250 to support a short-term, reporting project with coaching from a journalism professional and writing career mentor via 30-minute weekly sessions of support for up to four weeks, with the possibility of co-publication with a local newspaper, digital media or civic organization.
We are looking for both budding writers and experienced contributors to submit fresh, bold, and thoughtful ideas for articles designed to inform Black audiences from New York City to Atlanta, from Chicago to Jackson, Mississippi, from Cali, Colombia, to Salvador, Brazil.
We will help writers craft thoroughly-researched reports, interview sources and investigate the most salient issues facing Black communities today, including stories that examine cultural and historical preservation; science, data and tech; public health and education; climate change resilience; the economy, business and labor; immigration, asylum and foreign policy; policing and criminal justice; reparative justice initiatives; democratic social mobilizations and civic participation; as well as contemporary and historical civil rights movements in Black communities in the U.S. and abroad.
We are especially interested in pitches that uncover issues on inequality, reparative justice and social movements in the U.S., Sudan, the Congo and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Aspiring or professional writers and freelance journalists with lived experience in or working with Black communities are encouraged to apply.
Academics who might want to pivot into the media space or recent graduates or seniors majoring or minoring in Africana, African, African American studies, Latin American and Caribbean studies or journalism or literature are highly encouraged to apply.
HBCU seniors and recent graduates of any major are also highly encouraged to apply.
We are currently accepting pitches on a rolling basis. Submitting a pitch does not guarantee publication or acceptance into the training program. If your pitch is approved, you will be contacted with further details about the drafting, coaching, publishing and payment process.
To apply please fill out a submission form here or email us at blackwritersandjournalists@gmail.com.
The Black Writers and Journalists Workshop – is a small volunteer-run, donation-based project designed to train and support emerging authors and editors. Our mission is to educate and inform Black audiences, the general public and policymakers, publishing vibrant, deeply reported stories reflecting the everyday lives and realities of African Americans and Black diaspora communities.
Questions? Email us at blackwritersandjournalists@gmail.com