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Grants to assist the sustainability of Australian news publishers
Journalism Assistance Fund
The Journalism Assistance Fund is helping the sustainability of Australian news publishers by providing a proportion of the wages for journalists producing core news content that is distributed digitally.
Opening date: Friday 21 November 2025 10:00am AEDT Fri 21 Nov 2025 10:00am AEDT
Closing date: Thursday 30 April 2026 5:00pm AEST Thu 30 Apr 2026 5:00pm AEST
Applications close 30 April 2026 or until the funding is exhausted, whichever occurs first.
What do you get?
The minimum grant amount is $39,000 over three years and the maximum grant amount is $7.5 million over three years.
The grant amount per eligible journalist is $13,000 full time equivalent (FTE) per year, or $39,000 per eligible FTE journalist over three years.
If the journalist is not employed full time with the applicant, the grant amount requested should be based on a pro-rata amount of the FTE.
Who is this for?
Australian news publishers producing core news content that is distributed digitally.
About the program
The Journalism Assistance Fund Program, running over 3 years from 2025-26, was announced as part of the News Media Assistance Program (News MAP). News MAP aims to support public interest journalism and media diversity in Australia - recognising these are critical to a healthy democracy, social cohesion and informed citizens.
Organisations
producing core news content will be eligible for funding. The funding will
provide a proportion of the wages for journalists producing core news content
that is distributed digitally.
The program aims to:
- support the sustainability of Australian news publishers in the face of significant disruption to the media sector
- support the creation of digitally distributed news content
- encourage continued employment of journalists who primarily produce news that is in the Australian public interest
- build and maintain social cohesion in Australia
Check if you can apply
You can apply if you meet the eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria are a set of rules that describe who we can consider for this grant. You can apply if you:
- are an eligible entity
- have an eligible project
- have eligible expenditure.
The rules are in the grant opportunity guidelines.
You can apply if you:
- have an Australian business number (ABN)
- are registered for the Goods and Services Tax (GST)
- have an account with an Australian financial institution
- are an entity that produces and publishes core news content that is distributed digitally
and be one of the following entities:
- an entity, incorporated in Australia
- a company
- an incorporated trustee on behalf of a trust
- an incorporated association
- a co-operative
- a partnership
- an incorporated not for profit organisation or registered charity
- a sole trader.
You can’t apply if you are:
- any organisation not included in section 4.1 of the grant opportunity guidelines
- an organisation included on the National Redress Scheme’s website on the list of ‘Institutions that have not joined or signified their intent to join the Scheme’
- an employer of 100 or more employees that has not complied with the Workplace Gender Equality Act (2012)
- a newswire service
- affiliated with a foreign government, political party, union, financial institution, non-government organisation, or policy lobby group where that affiliation would influence or might be seen to influence, the content produced by the applicant
- insolvent
- a foreign controlled Australian entity (section 820-780 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997)
- a trust (however, an incorporated trustee may apply on behalf of a trust)
- a Commonwealth, state, territory or local government body (including government business enterprises)
- a non-corporate Commonwealth entity.
You must complete your project by 31 March 2028.
Your project must maintain the employment of journalists producing core news content that is distributed digitally for the project period in your grant agreement.
Eligible expenditure is $13,000 per journalist full time equivalent (FTE) per year for the production of core news content that is distributed digitally.
If you employ a minimum of 0.5 total FTE journalists and less than 1 FTE journalists your organisation will be eligible for $13,000 per year.
We encourage you to review the grant opportunity guidelines for further information.
How to apply
Check if you’re ready to apply for a grant
Finding a suitable grant opportunity is just the start of the process to get funding. The application process can take time and effort. Understanding the entire process will help you be grant ready and may improve your chances of getting funding.
Use our checklist to find out what it takes to apply for a grant.
When you're ready to apply
Apply using our online portal:
- Create or log into your portal account.
- Follow the instructions to complete your application.
- Submit your application before the close date.
Make sure you include enough detail and supporting evidence in your application to help us decide whether to award you the grant.
Don’t submit the application until it’s complete. You can’t correct a mistake.
Your application will be considered through a demand driven grant process. Applications will be reviewed in order of receipt until available funding is exhausted.
The Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) will review your application against the eligibility criteria. We may seek technical expert advice from the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts (DITRDCSA) on the eligibility of the application.
The program delegate makes the final decision.
Contact
Need help?
Let us answer your question over the phone, email or live chat.
- Phone:
-
Open Hours:
Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm across Australia
- Website: