Applications are now open for the Impact Seed Fund (ISF) 2026, a micro-grant initiative offered by the Pulitzer Center to support university-led educational and research activities on pressing environmental and climate issues.

The programme invites educators and researchers from Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia to design initiatives that use journalism supported by the Pulitzer Center to promote deeper understanding of environmental challenges and inspire meaningful engagement within academic communities.

Through this grant, universities can integrate investigative reporting into teaching, research, and community dialogue while encouraging interdisciplinary approaches to issues affecting ecosystems and vulnerable communities.

About the Impact Seed Fund

The Impact Seed Fund (ISF) is a small-scale grant programme that helps educators and researchers transform Pulitzer Center-supported journalism into learning resources, research projects, and public engagement initiatives.

Projects supported by the fund aim to strengthen environmental awareness and critical thinking among students, educators, and wider communities. By combining journalism, academic research, and local knowledge, the programme seeks to address urgent global challenges affecting ecosystems and societies.

Grant Focus Areas for 2026

Projects funded through the programme should address at least one of the following themes:

• Rainforests and Climate Change

• Ocean Conservation and Marine Ecosystems

• Transparency and Governance in Environmental Issues

• Climate Change, Labour, and Vulnerable Communities

Applicants are required to incorporate stories produced by Pulitzer Center-supported journalism networks such as the Rainforest Investigations Network, Ocean Reporting Network, and the Our Work/Environment initiative.

Types of Projects Supported

The Impact Seed Fund supports initiatives that connect journalism with academic engagement. Examples include:

Integrating Journalism into Education

• Incorporating investigative reports, documentaries, podcasts, and data visualizations into course curricula, teaching materials, and student activities.

Supporting Research and Dialogue

• Using journalism insights, datasets, and findings to inform academic research, comparative studies, and scientific discussions.

Building Cross-Sector Collaboration

• Encouraging partnerships between universities, journalists, Indigenous communities, and local organisations to address environmental challenges.

Funded projects should contribute to:

• Increased awareness and critical thinking among students and educators about environmental issues

• Strengthened public discourse on climate and environmental justice

• Encouraging solutions that protect ecosystems and support vulnerable communities

• Promoting collaboration with local communities, including Indigenous groups

Key Dates

Africa and Latin America

• Application Deadline: 19 April 2026

• Selection Period: 20 April – 6 May 2026

• Announcement of Results: 7 May 2026

• Project Implementation: 1 June – 15 December 2026

Southeast Asia

• Application Deadline: 3 May 2026

• Selection Period: 4 – 22 May 2026

• Announcement of Results: 28 May 2026

• Project Implementation: 8 June – 7 December 2026

Final project reports will be due in January 2027.