About this program

Safety in Numbers is a collaborative programme driven by four feminist-led organisations: ACOS Alliance, IFEX, International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) and Media Defence. The initiative aims to improve the safety and protection of journalists and media workers worldwide, addressing physical, legal, psychosocial and digital threats. Leveraging the expertise and networks of these organisations, the programme seeks to develop a comprehensive safety net through a rights-based feminist approach, ensuring the inclusion of women and vulnerable groups. With connections to over 375 partners in more than 115 countries, the programme integrates diverse perspectives and resources to build a robust, sustainable ecosystem for the protection of journalists. 

 About this opportunity

The IWMF will provide identity-informed newsroom training to newsrooms in Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. These trainings provide a customized approach to topics faced by each newsroom in the areas of holistic safety policy creation and tailored training sessions.

We offer:

  • An initial call with a safety expert and an assessment to understand what safety trainings and/or policies you need and can realistically implement.
  • Customized and identity-informed training to newsrooms for staff and freelance journalists.
  • Policy templates that you can easily adapt for your newsroom.
  • Real-life example of policies and guides written by newsrooms we have worked with.

Who is this support for?

If you are a newsroom who is looking for safety support then please complete this brief intake form.  

Acerca de este programa

Safety in Numbers es un programa colaborativo impulsado por cuatro organizaciones feministas: ACOS Alliance, IFEX, la Fundación Internacional de las Mujeres en los Medios (o la IWMF, por sus siglas en inglés) y Media Defence. La iniciativa tiene como objetivo mejorar la seguridad y la protección de periodistas y trabajadores de los medios de comunicación en todo el mundo, abordando las amenazas físicas, legales, psicosociales y digitales. Aprovechando la experiencia y las redes de estas organizaciones, el programa busca desarrollar una red de seguridad integral a través de un enfoque feminista basado en los derechos, asegurando la inclusión de las mujeres y los grupos vulnerables. Con conexiones con más de 375 socios en más de 115 países, el programa integra diversas perspectivas y recursos para construir un ecosistema sólido y sostenible para la protección de los periodistas. 

 Acerca de esta oportunidad

La IWMF ofrecerá capacitación en seguridad con enfoque en identidad a las salas de redacción de África subsahariana, América Latina y el Caribe. Estas capacitaciones brindan un enfoque personalizado a los temas que enfrenta cada sala de redacción en las áreas de creación de políticas de seguridad integrales y sesiones de capacitación personalizadas.

Ofrecemos:

  • Una llamada inicial con un experto en seguridad y una evaluación para comprender qué capacitaciones y/o políticas de seguridad necesita y puede implementar de manera realista.
  • Capacitación personalizada y basada en la identidad para redacciones para sus periodistas y periodistas independientes.
  • Plantillas de políticas que puede adaptar fácilmente a su sala de redacción.
  • Ejemplos de la vida real de políticas y guías escritas por redacciones con las que hemos trabajado.

¿Para quién es este apoyo?

Si usted es parte de una sala de redacción y busca apoyo de seguridad, complete este breve formulario de admisión.  

The International Women's Media Foundation is offering a free one year DeleteMe subscription to journalists in the U.S. through our Newsroom Safety Across America initiative. As part of this program, the IWMF will continue offering ongoing support to the participating newsrooms and journalists with safety consultations, assistance developing and implementing safety policies, and emergency assistance grants when needed. This approach responds to the needs of journalists and newsroom leaders before, during, and after the elections with a mix of prevention and mitigation measures alongside emergency response and assistance if the newsroom faces any threats. 

If you are interested in a free one year DeleteMe subscription, please submit the following form as soon as possible. We have a limited number of subscriptions. We will be reviewing the information provided in this application.  

About the IWMF's Safety Work

As the leading provider of identity-informed, holistic safety training and resources for journalists and newsrooms – with a focus on women and nonbinary reporters – in the U.S. and globally, the IWMF has trained thousands of journalists to enhance their safety online and offline. From 2020-2022, the IWMF has trained more than 7,230 journalists via our customized safety trainings and self-paced courses, and has provided HEFAT trainings to 810 journalists worldwide from 2014-2023. We lead Hostile Environment and First Aid Training (HEFAT) courses specifically tailored to the localized threats faced by the journalists we serve. 

The International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) is organizing a Hostile Environment and First Aid Training (HEFAT) in Nairobi, Kenya from April 11-13, participants will arrive to the training venue on April 10 and depart April 14. This opportunity is open to journalists of all genders both staff and freelance in sub-Saharan Africa to help them stay safe in their work. The IWMF will cover the cost of travel to Nairobi, as well as food and lodging during the training. Please note the training will be in English.

This opportunity is part of the Safety in Numbers program, a collaborative effort led by ACOS Alliance, IFEX, International Women’s Media Foundation, and Media Defence to support free and independent media in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia Pacific. This initiative is supported by the U.S. Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL). We invite you to learn more about the Safety in Numbers program here

If you have questions, please email programs@iwmf.org. The deadline for the application is December 11, 2024. 

About this project

Over the past two years, the IWMF has supported more than 40 newsrooms with policy development and training around issues related to online abuse. In 2022, we launched our guide to supporting newsrooms with this issue and a year later we set up our News Safety Cohort, a unique training model that incorporates policy development, training and peer-to-peer learning.

As the U.S. heads into an election year, support for online abuse is more critical than ever. Journalists are likely to see an uptick in online attacks and newsrooms need to be well prepared but may not have the time to do so. To respond to this, the IWMF is adapting its cohort model to ensure as many newsrooms are as protected as possible over a shorter period of time. 

What does our support look like?

If you want to better protect your newsroom from online violence but are short on time and unsure where to start then our cohort program may be a good fit for you.

We offer:

  • A short needs-based assessment to understand what policies you need and which policies you can realistically implement.
  • An initial hour-long call with an online abuse expert who will start working on policy development with you in the meeting.
  • Policy templates that you can easily adapt for your newsroom.
  • Real-life example of policies and guides written by newsrooms we have worked with.
  • Minimal meetings with written feedback on policies provided instead.
  • Training for staff and freelancers if requested. 

Who is this support for?

If you are a newsroom who is looking for support with issues on online violence then please complete this brief intake form.  

 

The International Women’s Media Foundation is launching a national journalism safety initiative to provide wrap around care for small newsrooms and journalists that lack the resources and knowledge to implement best practices and safety policies for 2024 and beyond. The IWMF will offer one and two day highly interactive in person safety workshops to local and regional news outlets in battleground states and rural areas where newsrooms are grappling with ongoing safety challenges. Topics include risk assessment and mitigation, personal security, active shooter, protests, legal/know your rights, and psychosocial/mental health awareness. After the training is completed, the IWMF will offer ongoing support to the participating newsrooms and journalism networks with safety consultations, assistance developing and implementing safety policies, and emergency assistance grants when needed. This approach will target the needs of journalists and newsroom leaders before, during, and after the elections with a mix of prevention and mitigation measures alongside emergency response and assistance if the newsroom faces any threats.   

The Newsroom Safety Across America Initiative will begin in February 2023. During the initial phase of this project, the IWMF will prioritize Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arizona, Florida, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Georgia. Exact dates and locations are being finalized. The training is free to participants, but the IWMF is unable to provide financial support for transportation and/or lodging. 

If you are a newsroom, journalism association, or freelance journalist, please fill out this form to indicate your interest in this training. 

About the IWMF's Safety Work

As the leading provider of identity-informed, holistic safety training and resources for journalists and newsrooms – with a focus on women and non-binary reporters – in the U.S. and globally, the IWMF has trained thousands of journalists to enhance their safety online and offline. From 2020-2022, the IWMF has trained more than 7,230 journalists via our customized safety trainings and self-paced courses, and has provided HEFAT trainings to 810 journalists worldwide from 2014-2023. We lead Hostile Environment and First Aid Training (HEFAT) courses specifically tailored to the localized threats faced by the journalists we serve. 

The Howard G. Buffett Foundation has given the IWMF a $750,000 grant to establish a three-year fund supporting U.S.-based reporting projects by Indigenous journalists on issues related to Missing & Murdered Indigenous People (MMMIP) with a concentration on women, girls, Two-Spirit and transgender people.

Starting in March 2022, applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis by an advisory committee comprised of distinguished Indigenous practicing journalists and editors, along with Indigenous thought leaders. The IWMF is conducting ongoing, targeted outreach to eligible journalists and Indigenous journalism groups to solicit proposals. Indigenous journalists affiliated with media outlets, as well as freelancers, are invited to apply.

In addition to monetary support, the IWMF is committed to providing editorial and pitching support to grantees.

Please read our FAQ page and Application Guide for the program. Eligible journalists can apply here.

If you are experiencing any accessibility issues with the application process, please contact info@iwmf.org.

The IWMF and its Coalition Against Online Violence partners are offering journalists the opportunity to sign up for free one-on-one safety consultations. 

Concerned about a recent threat, online abuse, government surveillance or an upcoming reporting trip? Our experts provide journalists with clear and practical guidance, whether that's dealing with a digital or physical safety emergency or helping you build digital security into your story planning. We are here to help. You must have journalism as a primary profession to be eligible for a consultation. 

Please note: this is not an emergency help line. We are unable to provide rapid response support. 

To apply for a consultation, please complete this application. If you have any questions, please email digitalsafety@iwmf.org.

If you are experiencing any accessibility issues with the application process, please contact info@iwmf.org.

The IWMF's Kim Wall Memorial Fund will provide $5,000 grants to journalists whose work embodies the spirit of Kim’s reporting. The grant will fund women or nonbinary reporters covering subculture, broadly defined, and what Kim liked to call “the undercurrents of rebellion.” Kim wanted more women to be out in the world, brushing up against life, and the Kim Wall Memorial Fund honors this legacy.

All applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Women or nonbinary journalists with one (1) or more years of professional experience working in news media from anywhere in the world. Internships do not count toward professional experience. Staff and freelance journalists are both eligible. We will only accept applications from individual journalists, but you may allocate part of the submitted budget for a reporting partner, such as a photographer or producer.
  • Applicants must have excellent written and verbal English skills in order to fully participate in and benefit from the program. However, reporting may be published in any language.
  • Applicants must be able to show proof of interest from an editor or have a proven track record of publication in prominent media outlets.
  • Grants will be awarded to cover reporting-related costs including travel, logistics, insurance, visa fees, professional stipends and payments for producers, translators, etc. The IWMF does not cover the cost of equipment purchase or rental and cannot support academic research or research for academic publication.


The IWMF believes that gender does not conform to one notion. We are inclusive of all women, nonbinary and gender non-conforming journalists.

Application Period
The IWMF is accepting applications from November 6 to December 8, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST via Submittable. The IWMF cannot consider time-sensitive proposals. Applications will be reviewed in January and February 2025, and applicants will receive a response no later than the end of February 2025. Grantees will be publicly announced on Kim's birthday, March 23.


Resources
 For application tips, please visit the IWMF's website here.
 For questions or accessibility/connectivity issues with the application, please email program coordinator, Divya Tewari, at dtewari@iwmf.org. 

This is an application for the United States Journalism Emergency Fund established by the International Women’s Media Foundation and supported by the Luce Foundation. To qualify for this emergency fund, you must be a U.S.-based journalist of any gender targeted as a result of your reporting at events related to the highly charged political unrest and polarization in the U.S., including elections, civil movements and other challenging environments. You may request support for:

  • Immediate needs related to your professional work, such as destroyed or stolen equipment and protective gear;
  • Small grants for medical and psychological care for incidents directly related to threats and crises caused by one’s work as a journalist.

Applicants must provide proof of their financial need. Funding is available to both staff journalists and those working independently. To request assistance from the IWMF’s United States Journalism Emergency Fund, please complete this preliminary questionnaire. Requests that do not meet the criteria above will not be considered. 

For legal support if you have been arrested or face immediate threat of arrest, please contact the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press at their free legal hotline(1-800-336-4243). The hotline is available 24/7. 

If you have any questions relating to the IWMF’s United States Journalism Emergency Fund, please email info@iwmf.org.

IWMF