At the African Centre for Media Excellence (ACME), we have spent more than a decade supporting in-depth journalism through reporting grants. In addition to running our own programmes, we have also worked with other organisations to deliver grants that enable journalists and media houses to pursue ambitious projects. Over the years, we have reviewed hundreds of proposals and followed the work they produced, giving us a clear view of what tends to succeed and what often falls short.
This simple guide draws on our experience, offering practical advice to journalists and media organisations on how to pitch stronger, more compelling story projects to grantmakers.
Biography with purpose
One key insight from our experience is that a strong application involves more than listing a CV or previous work. When grantmakers examine a journalist’s biography, they are less concerned with where they went to school or their past postings and more interested in the story their professional experience tells. How has their work led them to this topic?
A compelling biography situates the applicant’s experience within the pitch itself, showing not only what they have done but how it equips them to pursue this particular story. For example, a journalist proposing a report on rural access to clean water might highlight years covering public health, local governance or agricultural policy, demonstrating expertise and a sustained engagement with the communities affected.
Strengthening your pitch
Your pitch is the heart of your proposal. It is the fundamental element that demonstrates your intent and sets the stage for everything else. Unfortunately too often the pitches that come across our desk at ACME only scratch the surface. Your pitch is what proves your intent, shows the unique value of your project and convinces the grant committee that your story is not just worth telling, but essential. A strong pitch must detail:
1) Relevance and significance. The relevance of a story goes beyond identifying who might care; it articulates why the story itself matters. It explains the problem the story addresses, the consequences of ignoring it, and the value of telling it. For example, a story on how informal savings groups are affected by new mobile money regulations is significant because it exposes the implications of policy on people’s livelihoods, community resilience and local economic systems. A well-articulated relevance section makes it clear that this is a story that cannot be overlooked.
2) Context. This situates the story within a broader environment. This requires journalists to read, listen and watch what others have reported on the subject. Additionally, studying ongoing public debates, government initiatives or community action related to the issue helps you to avoid repetition and enables you to identify gaps where reporting can provide new insight. For example, a journalist proposing to cover shifts in political participation among young people would examine previous reporting on youth-led political movements, campaigns, government policies targeting youth engagement and trending discussions on social media platforms. This would reveal how the story fits into ongoing discourse.
3) Scope. Defining scope clarifies what the story will – and will not – cover. It signals your focus and the feasibility of your project. Rather than attempting to examine all municipal procurement processes, a journalist might focus on a single, tangible subject—for instance, the procurement and delivery of emergency medicines to one community clinic. This narrower focus allows for detailed, evidence-based reporting while keeping the project manageable within time and resource constraints. Scope demonstrates discipline in planning and signals that the journalist has thought carefully about what can realistically be achieved.
4) Hypothesis or central question. Including a guiding hypothesis provides direction to the reporting. For example, a journalist might frame the hypothesis: “Young people’s increased engagement in local council meetings is driven by trends in public discourse on social media platforms rather than formal government mobilisation.” This statement gives the project a clear investigative lens, indicating analytical thinking while leaving room for findings to confirm, challenge, or expand upon the initial assumption. A hypothesis also provides a framework for structuring interviews, observations, and data collection.
Research and sourcing
Research underpins strong reporting. A scattershot list of “community members” or “officials” without explanation is insufficient. Journalists should map sources carefully, demonstrating relevance, perspective and diversity in the source choice. Specificity in sourcing strengthens the credibility and depth of the story.
Example: Suppose a journalist is reporting on access to urban housing for low-income residents in the city. Their research section might include:
-
Government officials: City planners in the city authority, housing policy specialists in the Ministry of Lands, and local councillors may provide policy context, regulations and insight into enforcement challenges.
-
Experts and researchers: Academics from a university’s Department of Urban Planning, economists specialising in urban housing markets, and researchers from think tanks focused on urban development.
-
Community voices: Male and female residents from different informal housing settlements, tenant associations, and informal community leaders to highlight lived experiences and diverse perspectives.
-
Civil society actors: NGOs working on affordable housing, women’s housing cooperatives, and urban advocacy groups, showing interventions, successes, and persistent challenges.
-
Non-traditional sources: Social media trend analysis of public discourse on housing issues, private-sector landlords, and mobile banking companies managing housing loans. They can offer perspectives often overlooked in conventional reporting.
The journalist should also reference prior studies, reports, and relevant media coverage, demonstrating thorough reading and an understanding of the broader discourse.
Documentary sources: Documentary research adds depth and credibility. This includes government reports, policy documents, minutes from public meetings, archival records, budget papers, NGO reports, and other official or semi-official materials. For instance, in the housing story above, the journalist may list as their sources past city authority records, land registries or tenancy agreements. Documentary sources anchor stories in facts and give journalists a foundation against which to measure current developments.
Turning your pitch into a plan
A strong proposal demonstrates not only what the journalist will investigate but also how the idea will become a concrete plan and a finished product. Assessors look for evidence of careful planning and systematic execution, so include:
- How you will work with colleagues across beats to strengthen reporting, fact-checking and providing alternative perspectives.
- How you may engage senior editors or specialists to guide research, verification, and narrative development.
- A field work plan that details locations, access points and key interviews. Outlining this clearly shows project feasibility and careful planning.
It may also be effective to describe your reporting schedule, presented as a table or narrative. This should include how you will manage your time and resources, key milestones, the production stage, editorial review and dissemination.
Envisioning and amplifying the final product
In a story grant proposal, it is not enough to stop at describing your idea as an “investigative series” or a “radio feature.” Grantmakers want to see that you have thought carefully considered how your reporting will be experienced once it is published. While you may not control every aspect of the final presentation, your application should demonstrate awareness of the formats and platforms that will best serve the story, your newsroom and your audience.
For example, if you are proposing to investigate illegal land evictions, is a 3,000-word text report the most effective way to reach affected rural communities? Or would the story have greater resonance as a radio documentary broadcast in local languages, supplemented with an online explainer that policymakers and civil society can share? Likewise, a proposal on youth unemployment could be strengthened by showing how you plan to present not only a written report, but also short video clips or infographics that circulate on social media where younger audiences are active.
Thinking about the final product from the outset does two things. First, it reassures the grantmaker that you are focused on impact rather than just process. Second, it forces you to consider how the story will actually live in the world – how it will be consumed, shared and acted upon.
Amplification strategies: Equally important is planning how the story will reach audiences. Consider how to get eyes and ears on your work. For example:
- Using our organisation’s social media platforms or your personal professional accounts to share teasers, behind-the-scenes insights or related findings.
- Hosting webinars or online discussions to present your findings and engage experts or interested stakeholders.
- Using live audio spaces (for example, X Spaces) to discuss the story, answer audience questions, and increase reach.
- Holding community listening or viewing events with loyal audiences, such as radio listeners or local interest groups, to gather feedback and deepen engagement.
- Partnering with civil society organisations, local media or other actors to amplify key findings to broader or specialised audiences.
Budgeting for maximum impact
A budget is more than a list of items. Think of it as a roadmap that shows how each shilling, rand or pound will directly support reporting activities and deliver impact. A strong budget demonstrates feasibility, responsibility and discipline, while a weak one raises doubts about planning and oversight. Grantmakers want assurance that their resources will be used wisely to produce meaningful journalism.
Therefore, every expense should clearly connect to the reporting plan. Travel, accommodation and meals must reflect the locations and activities outlined in the story schedule. Research costs should cover access to key documents, datasets or reports. Equipment purchases (like recorders, cameras, or software) should be justified by their contribution to reporting and storytelling. If collaboration is necessary – such as hiring translators, data analysts or photographers – these costs should be transparent and tied to specific roles.
A good budget also accounts for outreach. Beyond reporting, journalists may need to produce infographics, run social media campaigns or organise listening sessions to ensure the story reaches its audience. These amplification costs show grantmakers that the project is designed with impact in mind.
At the same time, transparency and realism are crucial: avoid vague items like “miscellaneous expenses” and instead provide clear justifications that demonstrate professionalism and respect for the grantmaker’s resources. A modest contingency for unforeseen but likely costs signals foresight without appearing wasteful.
Using AI chatbots as a tool, not a replacement
AI chatbots are here and journalists can use them as part of the pitching process. However, the final proposal must be your own work. Grantmakers are looking for originality, insight and a journalist’s personal understanding of the story. Therefore:
- Incorporate your prior knowledge, context and understanding of the audience and the issue.
- Always fact-check AI-generated suggestions, as chatbots can produce errors or incomplete insights.
- Ensure your voice, perspective, and rationale for why the story matters are evident. Avoid submitting generic AI-generated text.
In short, do not use AI chatbots as a replacement for your professional judgement. Ensure that your proposal is recognisably your own, grounded in your research, contacts and reporting expertise.
###
Do you have a question about pitching your work, developing a workable hypothesis or how to secure funding for your next project? Write to ACME Mwalimu at training[at]acme-ug.org.
