The Washington, DC-based Fund for Investigative Journalism is accepting applications for its next round of grants for freelance or independent journalists seeking support for investigative reporting projects. Deadline: May 23.

The Fund gives grants, ranging from US$500 to $10,000, to reporters working outside the protection and backing of major news organizations. Grants are limited to journalists seeking pre-publication help for investigative pieces involving corruption, malfeasance, incompetence and societal ills in general as well as for investigative media criticism.

Applicants should submit a detailed proposal of the reporting project and how they intend to pursue the story, a budget for the project, a CV or resume illustrating their journalistic background and some examples of their previous work (2 or 3 news clips, 1 or 2 sample chapters or CD or DVD of a broadcast project).

For more information, go to http://fij.org/ or email Cheryl Arvidson at fundfij@gmail.com.