October 6, 2025 - Military.com announces the launch of the Military and Veteran Journalism Fund to financially support truly groundbreaking stories that touch the lives of those in the military, veterans and their respective families.
Groundbreaking is not an overstatement: we have an obligation to shed the light on issues, stories or developments that were previously unknown, hidden or underexposed to the benefit of the military and veteran community.
Details of the Grant
- $100,000 USD Fund I (the initial fund)
- 10 recipients, with a maximum amount of $10,000 per investigative report/story
- Must be breaking investigative journalism
- Grant will be used to cover: journalist's time, travel, records/database fees, video recording/editing, etc. (budget won't cover equipment costs, general expenses such as rent/insurance, routine news, academic research)
- Deadline to submit for Fund I is Veterans Day - November 11th, 2025
- Journalists must submit their proposal with the story’s premise, investigative focus, initial findings/thoughts and milestone plan; a budget must accompany the application
- We will favor and encourage journalists that plan to go above-and-beyond: first-hand interviews, collect and present datasets, provide support through photography and videography, etc.
- Military.com can support the journalists if needed (data analysis, video editing, booking of travel, etc.), to the extent possible
Distribution
- The final work will be published on Military.com and shared across our respective social channels
- Military.com will also use a wire service to distribute the story once published
Eligibility
- U.S. citizens
- Freelance journalists, veterans/active members, military family members, journalism students and those working in industries/non-profit/government supporting military/veterans are encouraged to apply
Application (please be as specific as possible)
- Full name, bio, contact information (email, cell phone, LinkedIn, personal site, etc.)
- Are you a veteran?
- Preliminary title/topic of your investigative piece
- In what way is this story ground-breaking?
- How does it benefit active personnel, veterans and/or their families?
- What are your initial views on this story?
- What makes you unique to cover the chosen topic?
- Detailed roadmap, timeline and itemized budget (when submitting the form, include a single PDF file that consolidates all the required information)
Terms & Conditions
Purpose: The Military & Veteran Journalism Fund (“Fund”) is established to financially support truly ground-breaking stories that touch the lives of service members, veterans and their families. An awarded grant (“Grant”) may be used to cover a grantee’s time, travel, record/database fees, video recordings/editing and other costs directly related to the creation of ground-breaking journalism. Military.com may, at its discretion, provide additional support (e.g. data analysis, video editing, travel logistics) on a case-by-case basis. Grants may not be used for personal expenses, lobbying activities or partisan political activities.
Eligibility and Compliance: Eligibility to the Fund is open to US citizens who are 18 years old or older, who fall in one of the following categories: freelance journalists, veterans/active service members, military family members, journalism students and professionals in non-profit or government sectors supporting the military and veterans. Each recipient of a grant (“Grantee”) must comply with these Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) to maintain the Grant. Maximum of one (1) application per person.
Maximum of one (1) Grant per Grantee.
Funding and Disbursement
- Initial Fund Amount: $100,000 USD.
- Number of Grants Available: 10.
- Maximum Award: up to $10,000 per story.
Disbursement of funds is conditional upon completion of deliverables and submission of Works (as defined below), progress reports, budgets, or other documentation as requested, with details to be communicated at a later date. Any unused or misused funds must be promptly returned.
Deliverables: Deadlines for submission and/or publication will be communicated by Military.com and must be adhered to in order to maintain the grant.
Intellectual Property and Attribution: Grantee retains all copyright in the works and materials provided to Military.com (“Works”), and hereby grants to Military.com an exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, fully paid up, transferable and assignable right and license to publish, display, and distribute the Works for a period of sixty (60) days from first publication by Military.com. Thereafter, Grantee grants to Military.com a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, royalty-free, fully paid up, transferable and assignable right and license to publish, display, distribute, archive, and otherwise use the Works. Grantee warrants and represents that the Works will be original and will not infringe on the intellectual property rights of third parties. Grantee must acknowledge grant support in their published piece with the following statement: “This project was supported by the Military & Veterans Journalism Fund, funded by Military.com”. Military.com retains all rights, title and interest in and to its intellectual property, including without limitation, its trademarks, logos, video, images and other website content. Editorial Independence: Military.com will have no influence over editorial decisions, story content, or conclusions, but favors projects that include first-hand interviews, original datasets, photography, videography, or other substantive contributions to public understanding. Military.com may review Grantee’s submission solely for compliance with these Terms and writing quality and standards and reserves the right to reject a submission for non-compliance or lack of quality.
Ethics and Standards: Each Grantee must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, professional codes of ethics, and journalism standards, including but not limited to those governing plagiarism, defamation, slander, copyright, trademarks, privacy, data protection and confidentiality.
Termination and Remedies: Military.com reserves the right to amend, modify, or discontinue the Fund at any time without prior notice. Grants may be terminated for cause, including but not limited to, violation of these Terms, misuse of funds, breach of ethics, violation of applicable laws, or failure to provide agreed-upon work. In the event of termination or breach, Military.com may demand immediate repayment of disbursed funds, withhold any remaining payments, and pursue any other remedies available at law or in equity.
Confidentiality: If any sensitive information is shared between Military.com and a Grantee, both parties shall treat it as confidential and not disclose it without consent, except as required by law or court order.
Miscellaneous: These Terms shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of Florida, and disputes in relations to these Terms or the Fund shall be resolved exclusively in the courts of Miami-Dade County. Grantee agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Military.com and its affiliates from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising from the content of Works submitted, any breach of these Terms, or any violation of law or third-party rights. Grants may not be assigned or transferred without the prior written consent of Military.com, which may be unreasonably withheld.