2026 Bertha Challenge Fellowship for Investigative Journalists and Activists
The Bertha Challenge Fellowship for Activists, Investigative Journalists, Filmmakers, and Lawyers 2026 is currently accepting applications. Those attempting to uncover and mitigate the impact of corruption and misinformation on the climate catastrophe are eligible to apply for the Bertha fellowship. This Bertha Challenge paid fellowship is a special worldwide fellowship program for lawyers, filmmakers, activists, and investigative journalists. The goal of this Bertha Challenge Fellowship 2026 is to investigate the people behind the incalculable spread of climate misinformation and reveal how politicians and businesses with corporate profit-related agendas benefit from it.
The sixth Bertha Challenge is being launched with great excitement by the Bertha Foundation. Investigative journalists, activists, filmmakers, and attorneys have the chance to focus on a single, important social justice issue for a year before submitting their work as part of the sixth Bertha challenge. Non-residential paid fellowships will be awarded to successful applicants for this international fellowship. Through this 2026 Bertha Challenge Fellowship for Activists and Investigative Journalists, they will also receive project budgets to work both independently and collaboratively to explore the causes and solutions to the annual Bertha challenge question, disseminate their findings to a wider targeted audience, and establish connections with various stakeholders for information, support, and long-lasting impact. The Bertha Challenge acknowledges the distinct roles played by activists, investigative journalists, filmmakers, and attorneys. Through collaborative efforts, this Bertha Challenge Fellowship 2026 will offer a chance to address the intricacies of the Bertha Challenge question while strengthening relationships. In order to preserve their independence and integrity, Bertha Challenge Fellows will be expected to consider novel approaches to collaboration and to working outside of their conventional silos. The amount of labor that crosses organizations and professions is growing as a result of investigating tales that reveal injustice. A group of mid-career leaders in their respective fields can produce professional and captivating work on the topic through the Bertha Challenge. The Bertha Challenge Fellowship for Activists, Investigative Journalists, filmmakers, and lawyers also encourages debate and strengthens networks beyond the one-year project cycle.
Summary of Bertha Challenge Fellowship:
- Level of Study: N/A
- Institution(s): Bertha
- Study in:
- Deadline: July 28, 2025
- Funded: Fully Funded
Eligibility Criteria:
This scholarship requires the following qualification:
- Applicants should have strong connections to relevant groups in the Fellow’s country, city, or region, including community organizations, social movements, NGOs, journalists, academics, progressive government officials, etc.
- Applicants should have at least five years of experience working with social movements, activists, grassroots, social justice organizations, community organizations, or campaigns.
- Applicants should have experience developing organizing tools or famous educational products, such as training courses, pamphlets, publications, films, arts, podcasts, theatre productions, etc.
- Applicants should have experience using media, research, and the law in advocacy.
- Applicants should have an affiliation with any appropriate host organization to increase work production during the Bertha Challenge.
For investigative journalists:
- Applicants in this category should be mid-career journalists with at least five years of experience and a record for doing investigative journalism.
- Applicants should have a strong interest and experience in creating work on the Bertha Challenge question and demonstrate a proven ability to work with affected social movements, communities, community organizations, academics, NGOs, scientists, etc.
- Applicants should have research and investigative journalism ability, an understanding of the political landscape related to the subject matter, and an understanding of political structures and law(s) that determine policy direction and power.
- Applicants should have the ability to work independently.
- Applicants should be affiliated with an appropriate host media organization that will publish the work they produce during the Bertha Challenge.
For Filmmakers:
- Applicants should have at least five years of relevant experience as a filmmaker with at least one conpleted film project.
- Previous experience of running a campaign and international work with filmmaking communities.
- Applicants should have creative ability and a comprehensive understanding of the political landscape and structures that affect people and communities in the proposed film project.
- The applicants’ host organization should be a production company registered to receive funding with relevant tax authorities.
For Lawyers:
- They must have at least five years of relevant work experience and a relevant qualification.
- Their proposed project must align with the 2026 Bertha Challenge Fellowship question.
- They should have a substantive relationship with communities or movements.
- For lawyers, their host organization should support and have a proven long-term relationship with the applicants (lawyers) and the project.
Benefits :
This scholarship provides the following benefits:
- Each Bertha Fellow will get income for one year, that is USD $64,900 maximum and comparable with the applicant’s current salary at the host organization, which is ideally a media outlet for an investigative journalist and community organization, NGO, or social movement for an activist.
- Fellows will also get project funds of up to USD $10,000 for each Bertha Fellow to create a product that answers the question created by the Bertha Challenge and directed toward a specific audience. This can be a series of articles, podcasts, videos, games, or drama productions. Journalists and joint activist applicants can pool their funding to produce larger-scale projects.
- Fellows will get a connect fund of up to USD $5,000, this fund is specifically designed to encourage collaboration between Fellows.
- Fellows will do regular online discussions on various issues, from present debates around the Bertha Challenge question to methods of investigation, storytelling, ways of communicating findings through news media, popular education, and more.
- Fellows will also get peer and mentor support through virtual check-ins with Bertha staff and a Bertha Fellows cohort.
- Fellows will also get an opportunity for network development through the global cohort of 2026 Bertha Fellows and exposure to partners within and beyond the Bertha network.
Bertha Fellowship Requirements:
- CV/resume in English of three pages at maximum is uploaded.
- A list of 2-4 referees is also attached, including the name and contact details of the referee and their relationship to the applicant.
- A signed MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) from your host organization, including equivalent salary and benefits provided.
- Examples of their previous work.
Application Process:
- Applicants must submit a complete online application form.
- Make sure to provide all the details correctly.
- Submit your application before the Bertha Challenge Fellowship deadline.
- Click on the Apply Now button below to start your Bertha Challenge Fellowship 2026 application.
- Applicants must upload all the required documents.
- Applicants should also attach the examples of their previous work.
