EJN Extreme Weather in the Philippines Investigative Reporting Fellowship 2026: Historical Reference — Closed

Historical reference: applications are closed. The Earth Journalism Network (EJN), an Internews program, opened this 2026 fellowship for journalists based in the Philippines. The application deadline was 9 January 2026. EJN offered up to 12 fellowships, with a reporting budget of P118,000 per fellow, a three-day investigative reporting workshop, and one-on-one editorial mentorship. The supported stories were expected to be published or broadcast by the end of May 2026. There is no new cycle announced on the official opportunity route, so this page is an archive entry rather than an active application listing.

The official record remains useful for journalists preparing a future EJN application or developing a similar accountability investigation. It explains the subject area, the required publication commitment, the intended audience, and the practical standard EJN set for a proposal. It should not be read as an invitation to submit after the deadline.

At a glance

What the fellowship was designed to support

The call focused on accountability for extreme-weather preparedness in the Philippines. EJN was looking for investigations that could help communities and decision-makers understand whether plans, public funds, infrastructure and environmental protections were working in practice. The subject was broader than coverage of a single storm. A strong proposal needed to identify a public-interest question and show how reporting could test the answer with documents, data, field reporting and people directly affected.

The official themes included financial accountability: tracing national or local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund allocations, spending and results. Another theme was infrastructure effectiveness, including whether large climate-resilient projects such as seawalls and flood-control works functioned as intended and whether poor engineering or corruption contributed to failure. Applicants could also examine preparedness and policy gaps by comparing official climate action plans or cross-agency coordination requirements with what happened on the ground. A fourth theme connected ecosystem degradation, such as deforestation, illegal mining or damage to mangroves and coral reefs, with greater exposure to landslides and storm surges.

These themes were not a request for general climate commentary. The fellowship called for an original, actionable investigative story proposal focused on accountability. The proposal needed a clear angle, a credible reporting path and a reason the work could lead to useful public understanding or change. A broad topic such as disaster preparedness would have needed to become a specific investigation: a defined project, a defined set of records or sources, and a realistic account of what the journalist could establish.

What the award provided

EJN planned to support up to 12 fellows with P118,000 each. That amount should be understood as the story-grant budget attached to the fellowship, not as a general prize or an unrestricted personal award. The point was to make substantial reporting possible: travel to affected communities, research, interviews, production and other costs tied to the approved investigation.

The financial support was paired with training and editorial help. Fellows were to attend a three-day investigative reporting workshop and then receive one-on-one mentorship as they developed the work. The combination matters because this was not simply a small reporting grant. EJN wanted proposals that could become rigorous investigations, and the training and mentoring were intended to help participants refine the question, check evidence, protect sources and finish publishable work.

Applicants should also have planned for safety. Extreme-weather reporting can involve travel, unstable infrastructure, exposed communities, sensitive records and sources who may face pressure. A serious proposal therefore needed to account for physical and digital security, access, verification and the practical limits of reporting time. These considerations were part of making the project executable, not optional decoration in an application.

Who could apply

The fellowship was for journalists based in the Philippines. Applicants needed at least two years of professional journalism experience and prior reporting experience related to environmental, climate or governance issues. EJN welcomed journalists working in online, print, television and radio, as well as other experienced media practitioners with investigative reporting backgrounds.

Both freelance journalists and staff members could apply. The call also welcomed people working with international, national, local and community-based media organisations. That breadth did not remove the need for a credible publishing plan. The applicant had to show that the proposed investigation could reach an audience and that the work would be published or broadcast through a media outlet.

The application required a signed letter of commitment from a news organisation, publisher or editor guaranteeing publication or broadcast of the final investigative story. This requirement applied to the editorial relationship, not merely to the applicant’s intention to publish independently. Anyone preparing for a similar call should secure that commitment before completing the proposal, confirm what the outlet will publish, and make sure the proposed reporting schedule is realistic for the editor as well as the reporter.

EJN also required transparency about generative AI used in developing or revising a proposal. The organisation reserved the right to disqualify applicants for unethical conduct, including submitting AI-generated material as their own. Disclosure was therefore part of the application standard. The safe approach is to keep the proposal rooted in the applicant’s reporting judgment, disclose assistance when required, and never represent generated work as original journalism.

How the application worked

The application was handled through EJN’s online opportunity system. When a call is open, an applicant normally needs to create an EJN account or sign in to an existing account, open the opportunity listing, select the application action, and complete the required fields. The applicant then submits the reporting proposal and supporting material through that portal. EJN’s general guidance says applicants should begin early, because a saved draft still has to be returned to and formally submitted.

For this fellowship, the essential preparation was a focused investigative proposal, a workable reporting plan, the signed publication commitment, and clear disclosure of any generative-AI use. The proposal needed to explain why the story mattered, what made the angle original, how the reporting would be carried out, and how the result could reach affected communities and policymakers. It also needed to fit the publication schedule: EJN expected the supported story to be published or broadcast by the end of May 2026 and stated that no extensions were planned.

Applications submitted after 9 January 2026 were not part of the active selection process. Because the call has closed and no successor round is announced, there is no current application form to complete for this specific fellowship. Readers who want a future opportunity should monitor EJN’s official opportunities page and read the new call itself; eligibility, funding, deadline and required documents can change from one program to another.

How proposals were judged

EJN’s criteria rewarded a proposal that connected a clear public-interest problem to a reporting method. Relevance asked whether the investigation fit the purpose of the call and why the subject mattered to its intended audience. The angle criterion asked whether the work added new evidence or insight rather than repeating familiar coverage. Reach considered whether the proposed outlet could make the reporting available to the people and institutions who needed it.

Impact concerned the investigation’s ability to inform, prompt debate and support action without turning into advocacy copy. Innovative storytelling, including thoughtful multimedia or data work, could strengthen a proposal, but tools were not a substitute for reporting. Finally, EJN looked for a credible plan for timely publication. A proposal could be ambitious while still naming its sources, records, locations, risks, editorial partner and route to publication.

What to prepare if EJN announces a similar call

Start with a narrow accountability question. Identify the decision, budget, project or policy that can be checked, then list the records and people needed to test it. Speak with the prospective editor before the application window opens and obtain a signed commitment that meets the call’s wording. Build a budget around reporting needs, including travel, access, translation, data work and safety, rather than treating the grant as a generic stipend.

Prepare evidence that you can work responsibly in affected communities. Explain how you will verify official claims, offer relevant parties a fair chance to respond, protect confidential sources and handle documents securely. If the story involves public funds or infrastructure, say which records you will seek and how you will compare paper promises with conditions in the field. If it involves ecosystem loss, connect the environmental change to the extreme-weather risk and to the people experiencing it.

Finally, check the official EJN listing immediately before applying. The page linked above documents the closed 2026 cycle; it does not promise that the same amount, themes, eligibility rules or schedule will return. A future round may use a different deadline, a different country scope or a different application form. Treat the new official call as the controlling source.

Frequently asked questions

Can I still apply to this cycle? No. The application deadline was 9 January 2026, and the cycle is closed.

What was the funding amount? EJN planned up to 12 fellowships with P118,000 for each fellow’s supported reporting.

Who was eligible? Journalists based in the Philippines with at least two years of professional experience and prior environmental, climate or governance reporting could apply, across media formats and with either freelance or staff status.

What was required with the proposal? Applicants needed an original and executable investigative story proposal, a signed publication or broadcast commitment from a news organisation or publisher, and transparent disclosure of generative-AI use.

Where should I look for a future call? Use the official EJN opportunities page. Do not assume that this historical entry’s deadline or funding terms apply to a future program.