💰10 Cash Awards to Apply For in January

Hello and welcome to another edition of Inside The Newsroom, journalism’s job board.

Awards aren’t just about recognition — though that matters. They’re also about funding that can support your work, credibility that opens doors, and validation that you’re on the right track. For many journalists, award money has funded reporting trips, covered equipment costs, or simply provided a financial buffer that made important work possible.

The awards on this list offer substantial cash prizes and all have January deadlines. Whether you’re submitting work you’ve already completed or applying for funding to do new work, these awards are worth your attention.

Below are 10 Awards with cash prizes with deadlines before the end of January. If you want access to the full database with more than 150 total opportunities, subscribe below and take advantage of 80% off annual subscriptions ($12/£12 for your first year).

Goldsmith Award For Explanatory Reporting

Organization: Shorenstein Center On Media, Politics and Public Policy
Deadline: January 5, 2026
Prize: $15,000
Eligibility: Worldwide
What it recognizes: Excellence in explanatory reporting that helps audiences understand complex issues in politics, policy, and public affairs.
Why apply: The Goldsmith Awards are prestigious, and $15,000 is substantial. If you’ve done strong explanatory work, this is worth submitting.
Apply here

Sony World Photography Awards Open Competition

Organization: World Photography Organisation
Deadline: January 6, 2026
Prize: $5,000
Eligibility: Worldwide
What it recognizes: Outstanding photography across multiple categories, open to photographers of all levels.
Why apply: If you’re a photojournalist or do photography as part of your journalism work, this is a major international competition with significant recognition.
Apply here

Sony World Photography Awards Professional Competition

Organization: World Photography Organisation
Deadline: January 13, 2026
Prize: $25,000
Eligibility: Worldwide
What it recognizes: Professional photography work across multiple categories, with a focus on series and bodies of work.
Why apply: The professional competition offers significantly more prize money and is designed for established photographers with substantial portfolios.
Apply here

Short Story Contest

Organization: Story Unlikely
Deadline: January 14, 2026
Prize: $3,000 (first place)
Eligibility: Worldwide
What it recognizes: Excellence in short fiction, with a focus on stories that resonate and stick with readers.
Why apply: If you write fiction or narrative nonfiction, this contest offers good prize money and publication. The winners are published with professional illustrations.
Apply here

FluxusMuseum Prize For Experimental Video 2026

Organization: FluxusMuseum
Deadline: January 16, 2026
Prize: Incremental throughout (amounts vary)
Eligibility: Worldwide
What it recognizes: Experimental video work that pushes boundaries and explores new forms of storytelling.
Why apply: If you work in video journalism or documentary and your work is experimental or avant-garde, this prize recognizes work that doesn’t fit traditional categories.
Apply here

ShortDoc Call For Entries

Organization: Megacities Shortdocs
Deadline: January 18, 2026
Prize: $1,000
Eligibility: Worldwide
What it recognizes: Short documentary films that explore urban life and megacities.
Why apply: If you make short documentaries about cities and urban issues, this is a platform for your work.
Apply here

CJF Award for Climate Solutions Reporting

Organization: The Canadian Journalism Foundation
Deadline: January 23, 2026
Prize: $10,000
Eligibility: Canada
What it recognizes: Excellence in reporting on climate solutions, not just climate problems — stories that highlight responses and innovations.
Why apply: Climate reporting is essential, and this award specifically recognizes solutions-focused work. If you’re covering climate in Canada, this is worth submitting.
Apply here

Film & TV Funding Award

Organization: The Whickers
Deadline: January 30, 2026
Prize: £25,000-£120,000
Eligibility: UK
What it recognizes: Funding for documentary film and television projects, with a focus on new and emerging filmmakers.
Why apply: This is serious funding for documentary work. If you’re in the UK and have a documentary project, this could provide the resources you need to complete it.
Apply here

Hillman Prize For Magazine Journalism

Organization: The Sidney Hillman Foundation
Deadline: January 30, 2026
Prize: $5,000
Eligibility: U.S.
What it recognizes: Excellence in magazine journalism that serves the public interest and advances social and economic justice.
Why apply: The Hillman Prizes are prestigious and specifically recognize work that makes a difference. If your magazine work serves the public interest, this is worth submitting.
Apply here

The Victor K. McElheny Award

Organization: Knight Science Journalism
Deadline: January 31, 2026
Prize: $10,000
Eligibility: U.S.
What it recognizes: Excellence in science journalism that makes complex topics accessible and engaging for general audiences.
Why apply: If you write about science for general audiences and do it well, this award recognizes that specific skill. The Knight Science Journalism name carries weight in the field.
Apply here

Tips for Applying to Awards

Read the guidelines carefully: Each award has specific requirements for eligibility, submission format, and deadlines. Missing a detail can disqualify you.

Submit your best work: Awards are competitive. Don’t submit something you’re not proud of. Wait for your best work, or don’t submit at all.

Follow the format requirements: If they want PDFs, send PDFs. If they want links, send links. If they want specific word counts, hit those counts. Attention to detail matters.

Write a strong entry statement: Many awards require a statement explaining why your work deserves recognition. Take this seriously. Explain what makes your work special.

Submit early: Don’t wait until the last minute. Technical issues happen, and you don’t want to miss a deadline because of a website crash or email problem.

Keep records: Save copies of your submissions, confirmation emails, and any correspondence. You’ll want these if questions come up.

Don’t get discouraged: Awards are subjective, and rejection doesn’t mean your work isn’t good. Keep creating, keep submitting, and keep improving.