Science Misinformation: Journalism in the Age of Truth Decay

The Pulitzer Center is seeking applications for in-depth and investigative stories related to science misinformation, science denial, and the spread of pseudoscience. We’re also interested in journalistic approaches to identifying and addressing the scourge of scientific misinformation and disinformation.

GRANT OVERVIEW

The Pulitzer Center is eager to support timely, in-depth journalism projects that tackle science denial and the spread of science misinformation and disinformation for its new Truth Decay grant initiative. This opportunity is open to all newsroom staff and independent journalists in the United States and abroad.

The goal of this new initiative is two-fold: 1) to expose the purveyors and platforms that spread science misinformation and disinformation with accountability journalism; and 2) to support newsrooms and journalists to develop their own innovative responses to the spread of mistruths in their communities or countries. 

WE ARE EAGER TO RECEIVE PROPOSALS THAT EXPLORE:

• How and why scientific misinformation and pseudoscience spreads and the role journalists play in exposing and countering it;
• The challenges of reporting on science with non-stop news cycles, science disinformation campaigns, and increasingly fragmented and siloed audiences;
• Who is creating the science misinformation and who is benefiting from its creation, and what forces or organizations are enabling the flows of anti-science “studies” and misinformation to circulate; 
• Unique and different perspectives on pseudoscience and misinformation in mass media and society;

This is a pilot initiative, so please propose ideas related to science and misinformation that most resonate with your audiences and communities today. We are open to all forms of investigative journalism for this initiative, from data journalism, radio and podcasts, to news and documentary videos. 

We also encourage potential grantees to bring us proposals with their most creative and innovative solutions for reaching new audiences with small, targeted packages of their reporting on a variety of platforms such as Instagram or TikTok, or anywhere your audience exists. 

Beyond contemporary broadcast, social media, or digital publishing platforms, our past grantees have routinely surprised us with very novel ways of reaching audiences with their work. They’ve shared their reporting via shortwave radio with Indigenous tribes, bus stop poster campaigns, and even with comic books and poetry performances.

We are open to any topics as long as they are underreported and relate to the spread of science misinformation, science denial or disinformation. For inspiration, here are a couple of recent projects we supported:

• Documentary: The Pandemic and Fake News in the Upper Xingu | Fábio Zuker and Thomaz Marcondes Garcia Pedro 
• “Post-Trump, Christian Nationalists Preach a Theology of Vaccine Resistance” | Jack Jenkins

TO APPLY, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING:

• A description of the proposed project in no more than 250 words. 
• A preliminary budget estimate, including a basic breakdown of costs. 
• A compelling distribution plan with letters of support from publishers and/or broadcasters.

We aim to support teams that reflect the communities they report on. We hope this grant can help our partner organizations advance their diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and commitments.

We accept grant proposals on a rolling basis. Please refer to “Tips for Writing a Successful Pulitzer Center Grant Proposal” for more information on how to apply.