The Kari Howard Fund for Narrative Journalism is an annual reporting grant from the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF). Kari Howard’s mother Diane Howard, her sister Alison Howard, and friends and colleagues from the Los Angeles Times and Reuters News created the fund in her memory. Howard spent nearly 25 years at the Los Angeles Times, led its Column One narrative feature, edited the Nieman Foundation’s Storyboard, and ended her career as Storytelling Editor at Reuters News in London.
The grant backs proposals to report and publish compelling human stories, wherever those stories are found. Women and nonbinary journalists with at least three years in the profession pitch one long-form narrative project, reported and published in English, from any country.
It is a small and competitive fund: the 2025 round drew more than 160 applications from journalists of 51 nationalities and made two grants. The 2026 cycle closed on 12 July 2026, and its recipients will be announced later in the year.
Benefits & funding
- A grant of up to $5,000 towards one long-form narrative journalism project; grants have averaged around $5,000 in past years.
- Funding follows the story the journalist proposes — it pays for the reporting and publication of a specific piece, not a salary or a placement.
- Open to freelance and staff print journalists alike, applying individually or as a multi-format team.
- The fund has awarded grants every year since 2023, with two grants in 2025 and two in its inaugural round.
- Recipients are named in a public IWMF announcement and have six months from the award to report and publish.
Eligibility
- Women and nonbinary journalists.
- Professional journalism must be the applicant’s primary profession.
- At least three years of professional journalism experience; internships do not count towards it.
- Freelance or staff print journalists, applying alone or as part of a multi-format team, where any multi-format reporting supplements a print project.
- Proof of interest from an editor, or a proven track record of publication in prominent media outlets.
- The application and the finished story must both be in English.
- Any country: projects reported and published in English anywhere in the world are eligible, with no nationality or residency requirement.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
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Experience required
≥ 3 yrs
Gender requirement
Female
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Application process
- 1Watch the fund’s IWMF page for the annual call, which opens on the IWMF Submittable portal.
- 2Prepare a proposal for one long-form narrative story in English, with the editor interest or publication record that backs it.
- 3Submit the application through Submittable before the deadline — 11:59pm EST on 12 July in the 2026 round.
- 4Apply individually or as a multi-format team, keeping a print piece at the centre of the project.
- 5A selection committee of Kari Howard’s family, friends and former colleagues reviews the proposals; every applicant hears back by early September.
- 6Recipients are announced publicly later in the year, then complete all reporting and publishing within six months of the award.
Program timeline
12 July 2026
2026 application deadline (11:59pm EST)
All applicants receive a decision
Early September 2026
Recipients announced publicly
Later in 2026
Within six months of the award
Reporting and publishing must be complete