Deadline: 21-Jul-22

Google has launched a ‘News Equity Fund’, a global commitment to provide financial support and opportunities to news organizations that primarily serve underrepresented communities.

The Fund aims to strengthen inclusion, further empower a diverse news ecosystem, and specifically support small and medium sized publishers creating original journalism for underrepresented audiences around the world.

Funding Information

Funds will be disbursed in one installment. Funding amounts will vary depending on the size of the newsroom and number of eligible applications received.

Eligible Regions

Organizations must be incorporated or registered in one of the eligible geographies (see below). Unincorporated organizations must be based in one of the eligible geographies. Please note that certain eligible geographies may have specific laws that apply to the receipt of funding from the News Equity Fund and you are responsible for your compliance with any such laws, including, for example, by obtaining all necessary permissions from relevant authorities prior to receiving funding.

Eligible Geographies

• Asia-Pacific
  • Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Cook Islands, East Timor, Easter Island, Fiji, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau SAR, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet Nam.
• Europe
  • Austria, Albania, Andorra, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Ukraine (excluding the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR ) and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR ).
• Middle East and Africa
  • Algeria, Angola, Bahrain, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Brazzaville), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Israel, Ivory Coast, Jordan, KSA, Kenya, Kuwait, Lesotho, Libya, Lebanon, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Palestine, Oman, Qatar, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, UAE, Western Sahara, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
• North America
  • Canada, United States, United States Overseas Territories .
• Caribbean
  • Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, Montserrat, Navassa Island, Netherlands Antilles, Puerto Rico, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Martin, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands , United States Virgin Islands.
• Latin America
  • Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, U ruguay, Venezuela.

Eligibility Criteria

• Small and medium-sized news organizations producing original news for underrepresented audiences. 
• The News Equity Fund is open to independent newsrooms employing between 1 – 50 full-time journalists (FTE).
• Eligible applicants may include for-profit or nonprofit traditional news organizations, digital natives, newsletters, podcasts, radio and/or TV broadcasters, and trade press associations whose members cover underrepresented groups.
• Eligible applicants should publish journalistic content regularly.
• Eligible applicants need to have a focus on core news provision, i.e. not lifestyle, sports. Eligible applicants must have a verifiable digital presence (such as a website primarily providing journalistic content) and have been in full operation for at least 12 months.
• Incorporated or registered associations or organizations, registered academic or non-profit bodies representing underrepresented journalists and organizations are all eligible to apply as long as you are based in one of the eligible geographies.
• Government-owned entities or entities affiliated/owned by a political party are not eligible to apply. 
• Only online applications in English will be considered.

For more information, visit https://newsinitiative.withgoogle.com/news-equity-fund/#introduction