As artificial intelligence grows more advanced, the technology and the people building it grow increasingly consequential. We believe journalism plays a crucial role in helping the public understand AI — and in holding companies and policymakers to account.
Tarbell offers grants of $1,000 – $15,000 to support original reporting published in established outlets, whether from freelancers or staff. We primarily focus on written journalism, but we also fund journalism in other formats.
We seek to fund forward-looking stories, examining how today’s technical advancements and policy decisions lay the groundwork for how artificial intelligence will shape our future. In particular, we seek to fund reporting on five focus areas:
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Investigations into frontier AI companies
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National and international AI policymaking
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Integration of AI in governments and militaries
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AI capabilities, safeguards, and evaluations
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Future of work and society in an age of advanced AI
We welcome submission from all experienced journalists and media creators: both staff writers/editors/producers and freelancers are welcome to apply. Journalists with an investigative background are particularly encouraged to apply. A background in reporting on AI and/or technology is desirable, but not mandatory.
You do not need to have an outlet secured before applying, although we encourage it. If you can’t secure a letter of interest from an editor before your application, we’ll ask you to obtain one before we distribute any fundingYour publication or distribution platform of choice must be able to accept grant-funding for stories.
When evaluating applications, we look for:
Potential for Impact. We care about stories that make a difference. We want the reporting we enable to help society navigate the challenges ushered in by increasingly capable and widespread AI systems, whether that be by raising awareness of an underdiscussed harm or catalyzing policy change.
Reach. We hope grantees’ stories will be read, heard, or viewed widely, and by people with decision-making power. We prefer to fund stories that are likely to be published in established and influential outlets.
Journalistic experience. We look to fund journalists with a trackrecord of impressive reporting. We tend to only fund journalists who have written at least one piece like the original journalism they’re proposing, whether that’s an ambitious investigation or a captivating explainer.
Feasibility. We look for pitches and budgets that demonstrate a realistic plan for how to pull off the proposed story.
