Applications now open for Facebook News Fund

Applications are now open for the Facebook Australian News Fund, a $15 million funding program spread over three years to invest in public-interest journalism, and support small, regional and digital newsroom innovation and economic sustainability.

The Walkley Foundation is managing the program independently of Facebook, and will use an external judging panel to review applications against the program’s eligibility criteria, and will select the successful candidates.

The $15 million will be divided between two funds, The Newsroom Sustainability Fund and The Public Interest Journalism Fund over three years.

The Public Interest Journalism Fund will allocate up to $2.5 million by awarding funding of up to AU$120,000 to invest in public interest journalism, support small, regional/rural newsrooms as well as newsrooms/journalists covering under-served communities, and to encourage media diversity.

The Newsroom Sustainability Fund will allocate up to $2.5 million by awarding grants of up to $250,000 to fund newsroom products and revenue-related projects. A minimum of nine projects may receive funding under this program.

Eligible Australian-based news organisations may apply to the Newsroom Sustainability Fund.

News organisations and independent journalists may apply to the Public Interest Journalism Fund if they meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the Terms & Conditions.

The final date to apply is November 26 with the funding to be awarded to successful applicants in early March 2022.

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