From newly proposed protected areas to innovative entrepreneurs to land guardians, The Narwhal regularly reports on stories that touch on the lives of Indigenous communities across Canada.

But all too often these stories aren’t told by Indigenous journalists.

The Narwhal’s inaugural Indigenous journalism fellowship is intended to help change that.

The fellowship offers one Indigenous (First Nations, Métis or Inuit) applicant $5,000 and the support of The Narwhal’s award-winning editorial team to bring an untold story to life.

Some of the most important work in conservation in Canada is taking place on Indigenous territory, led by Indigenous communities. And many of the biggest legal battles over natural resource extraction are being fought on the basis of Indigenous rights.

Yet Indigenous journalists are substantially underrepresented on Canada’s media landscape — even here, at The Narwhal. This is something we want to change, and this fellowship is one of our first steps on the road to ensuring more diverse voices appear on these (virtual) pages.

Through this fellowship, made possible through the generous support of the Reader’s Digest Foundation, an Indigenous journalist will dig into an original reporting project of their own choosing, whether in the form of a photo essay, a feature, an investigative piece or a video.

We’re really excited to hear from this country’s vast array of Indigenous journalists, whether up and coming or already established.

The submission deadline for this fellowship is October 31, 2019.* Check out the submission guidelines for the full details.

* This article was updated to reflect the new application deadline, which was extended from September 27 to October 31.

Another year of keeping a close watch
Here at The Narwhal, we don’t use profit, awards or pageviews to measure success. The thing that matters most is real-world impact — evidence that our reporting influenced citizens to hold power to account and pushed policymakers to do better.

And in 2024, our stories were raised in parliaments across the country and cited by citizens in their petitions and letters to politicians.

In Alberta, our reporting revealed Premier Danielle Smith made false statements about the controversial renewables pause. In Manitoba, we proved that officials failed to formally inspect a leaky pipeline for years. And our investigations on a leaked recording of TC Energy executives were called “the most important Canadian political story of the year.”

We’d like to thank you for paying attention. And if you’re able to donate anything at all to help us keep doing this work in 2025 — which will bring a whole lot we can’t predict — thank you so very much.

Will you help us hold the powerful accountable in the year to come by giving what you can today?
Another year of keeping a close watch
Here at The Narwhal, we don’t use profit, awards or pageviews to measure success. The thing that matters most is real-world impact — evidence that our reporting influenced citizens to hold power to account and pushed policymakers to do better.

And in 2024, our stories were raised in parliaments across the country and cited by citizens in their petitions and letters to politicians.

In Alberta, our reporting revealed Premier Danielle Smith made false statements about the controversial renewables pause. In Manitoba, we proved that officials failed to formally inspect a leaky pipeline for years. And our investigations on a leaked recording of TC Energy executives were called “the most important Canadian political story of the year.”

We’d like to thank you for paying attention. And if you’re able to donate anything at all to help us keep doing this work in 2025 — which will bring a whole lot we can’t predict — thank you so very much.

Will you help us hold the powerful accountable in the year to come by giving what you can today?

We’re fighting for our right to report — and your right to know. Stay in the loop about our trial against the RCMP and get a weekly dose of The Narwhal’s independent journalism
Red text in bold, capital letters: JOIN OUR FIGHT FOR PRESS FREEDOM
We’re fighting for our right to report — and your right to know. Stay in the loop about our trial against the RCMP and get a weekly dose of The Narwhal’s independent journalism
Red text in bold, capital letters: JOIN OUR FIGHT FOR PRESS FREEDOM