IWMF Awarded $1.2M to Fund Reporting Initiative in Ukraine

Global NGO continues multi-decade legacy of leading large-scale, rare reporting opportunities for journalists

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Women's Media Foundation (IWMF) today announced it received a $1.2 million grant from the Howard G. Buffett Foundation to lead a reporting program focused on the impact of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The year-long initiative, "Women on the Ground: Reporting from Ukraine's Unseen Frontlines," will deepen coverage of the war's implications for local communities in France, Germany and the United States. Applications are now available to women and nonbinary journalists in these countries reporting for their local media outlets.

"Women on the Ground" will provide participating journalists with Hostile Environment and First Aid Training, complete support and management for in-country reporting, and independent grants for continuing narratives. This reporting will have international implications for readers and their local communities, including findings on food security, peacebuilding, and the future of democracy.

"During this precarious time in Ukraine, details from the frontlines are not reaching local media markets. As the quickly changing landscape of the war continues to affect local communities, it's critical to equip journalists with the access and tools to uncover vital truths," said IWMF Executive Director Elisa Lees Muñoz. "Thanks to the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the IWMF can continue its long legacy of bringing journalists to the most pivotal points of change in our world."

For 35 years, the IWMF has implemented and directed small and large-scale international reporting trips for hundreds of freelance and staffed journalists. These unique opportunities offer access to stories that can be challenging to explore and cost-prohibitive for local newsrooms. Coverage from the IWMF's reporting programs often leads to momentous change, including the alteration of policy, well-being and outcomes for local communities.

The IWMF's "Women on the Ground" program will launch with an inaugural reporting trip to Ukraine in February 2025, which coincides with the third anniversary of Russia's invasion.

To learn more about "Women on the Ground" and application details, please visit https://www.iwmf.org/programs/ukraines-unseen-frontlines/.

About the International Women's Media Foundation
The IWMF is the only global organization built to serve the holistic needs of women and nonbinary journalists. We are a bold and inclusive organization that supports journalists where they are with awards, reporting opportunities, fellowships, grants, safety training and emergency aid. As one of the largest supporters of women-produced journalism, our transformative work strengthens equal opportunity and press freedom worldwide. Follow the IWMF on Twitter at @IWMF, on Facebook at @IWMFPage, on Instagram on @TheIWMF and on TikTok @theiwmf.

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Charlotte Fox
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SOURCE The International Women's Media Foundation