Better Life Lab at New AmericaGrant

Better Life Lab Care Reporting Grant

Rolling

Opportunity type

Grant

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

United States

Deadline

Rolling

About this opportunity

The Better Life Lab at New America is paying journalists and storytellers to report solutions-focused stories about care in the United States, from child care innovations to family, disability, elder and end-of-life care. Any medium works, from print and podcasts to photojournalism, graphic stories and video, and both new and experienced reporters can apply. Stories are commissioned on a rolling basis from October 2026.

What you get:

A reporting grant, typically about $1,000 for a traditional print or digital story, with more available for multimedia, graphic and nontraditional stories
Paid on publication, and any fee the publishing outlet pays you is yours to keep
Editorial guidance, pitching support and help placing your story with an outlet
A place in the Better Life Lab reporting cohort, with peer convenings
Amplification of your published work across Better Life Lab and New America networks

What you'll do:

Pitch a solutions-oriented story on child care innovation or on investment in care across the life cycle
Report and publish the story within six months, with progress updates at two and four months
Work with the Lab's editors to find the story a publication home

Key dates:

Applications open now for the 2026 to 2027 grants (announced September 2, 2026)
Stories commissioned on a rolling basis beginning October 2026
Commissioned stories must be published within six months

More information:

Frequently asked questions: https://www.newamerica.org/insights/bll-child-care-reporting-grants-faq/
Questions go to Rebecca Gale at the Better Life Lab, contact listed on the application form

Who can apply

Open to new and experienced reporters and storytellers
Pitch must be a solutions-oriented story about care in the United States: child care innovation, or challenges and solutions across family, disability, elder and end-of-life care
Early to mid-career and experienced applicants submit three relevant published clips
Emerging voices submit two samples of their work, which may be unpublished
Application asks for a headline, a 200 to 500 word description of the piece, a short bio and potential outlets

AI Verification

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Cross-checked 7 of 10 key facts

Confirmed Our best read Not stated

Good to know

+New America's FAQ puts a typical grant at about $1,000 for a print or digital story, with more for multimedia, graphic and nontraditional pieces, and any fee the outlet pays you is yours to keep
+New reporters are welcome: part of the money is set aside for emerging voices, who can send unpublished samples
+Editors help you pitch and place the story, and you join a reporting cohort with peer convenings
+Run by the Better Life Lab at New America, a long-established think tank that has funded more than 30 storytellers and nearly 100 stories since 2021
+Free to apply, with stories commissioned on a rolling basis from October 2026

Worth checking yourself

!You are paid when the story is published, not up front, so you cover your reporting costs until then
!Stories must be about care in the United States: child care, or family, disability, elder or end-of-life care
!No closing date is published, so the call could close once the money is committed. Applying early is safer
!You must publish within six months, with progress updates at two and four months
!Not a youth programme: it is open to journalists of any age and experience

Sources checked

NEnewamerica.orgApplyNEnewamerica.orgApplyAIairtable.comOfficialNEnewamerica.orgApplyNEnewamerica.orgApplyNEnewamerica.orgApplySOsolutionsjournalism.orgOfficialNEnewamerica.orgApply

LOT finds and checks opportunities from public sources. Always confirm details on the organiser’s own page before applying.