Applications are now being accepting for the O’Brien Fellowship.
Donor Name: Marquette University
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Fellowship
Deadline: 02/15/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
Since the O’Brien Fellowship began in 2013, most Fellows have worked from a home base in the O’Brien newsroom in the Diederich College of Communication at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. O’Brien accepts remote, non-residential applications, but gives extra weight in the selection process to applicants ready to reside in Milwaukee during the Fellowship. (O’Brien provides residency/rental and moving allowances for residential Fellows who come from outside the Milwaukee area.) They strongly encourage those applying for O’Brien Fellowships to choose the residential option, owing to the advantages it provides to Fellows and the top Marquette journalism students they mentor while pursuing investigative projects.
Stipend and Benefits
A stipend of $75,000 for nine months, paid to your sponsoring organization or directly to the Fellow in the case of independent journalists.
- A residency allowance based on family requirements for Fellows moving to the Milwaukee metropolitan area for the duration of the fellowship: up to $7,000 for a single, married, or partnered Fellow, up to $9,000 for a Fellow with one child, up to $10,000 for a Fellow with two children, up to $12,000 for a Fellow with three or more children. Fellows submit rent receipts from the rental property owner. The allowance is paid in equal monthly installments over the course of the Fellowship.
- A moving allowance of up to $7,000. (Fellows from the Milwaukee metropolitan area are not eligible for a moving allowance.)
- A travel and research allowance up to $9,000. This covers project-related travel as well as technology, data, and document costs and equipment needs.
- Employee benefits continue to be paid by the Fellow’s employer, where applicable. Independent journalists can choose to select Marquette employee health insurance.
Eligibility Criteria
They seek applications from staff-employed or independent journalists residing in the United States or its territories. Applicants should have at least five years of professional journalism experience as an employee or freelancer. Investigative reporting experience is preferred. Applicants may be connected to print operations, radio, television, websites, podcasts, online publications, wire services, or magazines of general public interest. There are no academic prerequisites.
For more information, visit Marquette University.
