Applying for grants and fellowships: a practical guide

Grants, fellowships and residencies can buy you time to do the work you most want to do, but the competition is real and the instructions are usually strict. The good news is that a lot of applications fall down on things that have nothing to do with talent: missing documents, a proposal that ignores the brief, or a deadline missed by an hour. Get those right and you're already ahead.

Read the guidelines twice

Before you write a word, read the full guidelines, then read them again with a pen. Note who can apply (nationality, residence, experience, career stage), what the money or support covers, what you must send and in what format, and the deadline, including its time zone. Many funders run one open call a year: the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture, for instance, says each of its grant programmes has one annual open call. Missing it can mean waiting a year.

Answer the question they asked

Every call has priorities, and the strongest proposals show plainly how your project meets them. If a fellowship asks how your reporting will help a particular audience, say so in the first paragraph rather than leaving the panel to infer it. The UN's journalism fellowship for the Doha Midterm Review, for example, asks for a reporting proposal of no more than 400 words covering story angles, why they matter to audiences in Least Developed Countries, formats and where you'll publish. Use the funder's headings as your structure when you can.

Make the practical parts easy

• Choose work samples that match the project, not just your best-known piece.
• If there's a budget, make it realistic and explain any line that isn't obvious.
• Ask referees early and give them the deadline, the call and a short note on what to mention.
• Keep your CV or bio to what the panel needs: relevant work, publications and languages.
• Submit a day or two early. Portals slow down on the last day, and late applications are rarely accepted.

Know the warning signs

Genuine grants and fellowships don't ask you to pay to be considered for funding that has already been decided, and they don't approach you out of the blue to say you've won something you never applied for. Some literary prizes charge entry fees, which is a different thing; we only list calls that are free to enter. If something feels off, check the organiser's own website, not a link in a message.

If it's a no

Rejection is normal, even for strong applicants, because there's usually far more good work than money. If the funder offers feedback, ask for it. Keep your proposal, update it, and look for the next call. Many people are funded on their second or third attempt at the same programme.