Deadline: June 26, 2022.

Bertha Foundation is excited to announce the launch of the fourth Bertha Challenge: an opportunity for activists and investigative journalists to spend a year working on one pressing social justice challenge and to deliver a body of work at the end of the Fellowship year.

The fourth Bertha Challenge will begin in January 2023 with a focus on food, specifically supporting Bertha Fellows to answer the following question: How is the relationship between politics and corporate control of our food systems contributing to environmental devastation and hunger and how can food production center people and nutrition rather than profit?

ELIGIBILITY

ACTIVIST

1. At least 5years experience working with activists, scoail movement, grassroots and community organizations, social justice or organization campaigns.
2. Strong connection to a diverse range of groups working for a fair and sustainable food system in the fellow city, country or region including with social movements etc.
3. Experience developing organizing tools or popular educational materials for example training courses etc.
4. Experience using research, media and the law in advocacy
5. Affiliate to an appropriate host organization to amplify work produced during the Bertha challenge.

INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST

1. Mid-career journalist with at least five years experience, a track record and passion for doing investigative journalism.
2. Strong interest and experience in producing work on the Berth challenge question and a proven ability to work with affected communities, social movements etc.
3. Investigative journalism and research ability, a comprehensive understanding of the political landscape concerning the subject matter, an understanding of the law (s) and political structures determining policy direction and power.
4. Ability to work independently
5. Affiliation to an appropriate host media organization that will publish /broadcast work produced during the Bertha challenge.

BENEFITS

Their Fellowships offer:

• Income for each Bertha Fellow for one year, not exceeding USD $64,900 and commensurate with the applicant’s current or equivalent salary at the host organization – ideally a media outlet for an investigative journalist and an NGO, community organization or social movement for an activist
• A Project Fund of up to USD $10,000 for each Bertha Fellow to produce their final projects that respond to the question posed by the Bertha Challenge, and that is directed towards a specific audience. This could be a series of articles, videos, podcasts, games or drama productions, for example. Joint activist and journalist applicants will have the option to pool their project funding to produce projects on a larger scale
• Access to a Connect Fund of up to USD $5000 specifically designed to encourage collaboration between Fellows
• Regular online discussions with topics on a range of issues from current debates around food to methods of investigation, methods of communicating findings through news media, storytelling, popular education and more
• Peer and mentor support in the form of regular virtual check-ins with Bertha staff and a cohort of Bertha Fellows
• Network development through the global cohort of Bertha Fellows and exposure to relevant partners within and beyond the Bertha network, including our legal partners in the Bertha Justice Network
• A global convening of Bertha Fellows at the start of the Bertha Challenge, and invitations to join alumni convenings after the end of the Fellowship year.

OFFICIAL LINK