Rare Disease Reporting Fellowship and Grants 2026

Applications are open for the Rare Disease Reporting Fellowship and Grants 2026, an international journalism fellowship organized by the National Press Foundation with support from Fondation Ipsen. The programme is designed to help professional journalists develop deeper knowledge and produce informed reporting on rare diseases, biotechnology, medical research, healthcare access and the experiences of patients and families.

The fellowship responds to the growing need for stronger public understanding of rare diseases. More than 300 million people worldwide live with one of more than 7,000 identified rare diseases, while many countries continue to face gaps in healthcare infrastructure, diagnosis, treatment, research and public policy.

Through the programme, accepted journalists will participate in one week of free online training featuring expert briefings and question and answer sessions. Topics will include rare disease research in Africa, AI driven drug development, childhood genetic testing and screening, inclusive clinical trials, patient advocacy and approaches to reporting complex medical and scientific issues.

About the Fellowship

The Rare Disease Reporting Fellowship is the fifth journalism fellowship in a series supported by Fondation Ipsen. It brings together journalists with medical, scientific, policy and patient advocacy experts to strengthen reporting on rare diseases and biotechnology.

The training will provide participants with access to expert perspectives on emerging developments in rare disease research and treatment. Journalists will also hear from leaders of global patient advocacy organizations and experienced journalists covering the field.

The programme is delivered entirely online, making it accessible to professional journalists based in different parts of the world. However, participants must be able to attend every scheduled session live.

Fellowship Benefits

• Free one week online journalism training

• Expert briefings on rare disease research and biotechnology

• Access to medical, scientific and policy experts

• Insights into rare disease research on the African continent

• Training on AI driven drug development

• Information about childhood genetic testing and screening

• Discussion of inclusive clinical trials

• Perspectives from global patient advocacy leaders

• Guidance from experienced journalists

• Up to $2,000 in reporting grants for qualifying fellows

• $1,000 grant payment after completing the training

• Additional $1,000 payment after submission of the completed published work

• Opportunity to develop specialized reporting on rare diseases

• Opportunity for accepted reporting to be reprinted in a compilation produced by Fondation Ipsen

Programme Areas

The fellowship will explore several areas connected to rare disease reporting, biomedical research and healthcare.

• Rare disease research in Africa

• Biotechnology and medical innovation

• AI driven drug development

• Childhood genetic testing

• Rare disease screening

• Inclusive clinical trials

• Patient advocacy

• Healthcare access and policy

• Experiences of people living with rare diseases

• Reporting complex scientific and medical issues

Eligibility Criteria

• Open to professional journalists based in any country

• Applicants may work in print, broadcast, online or social media

• Journalists may work in any language, but fluency in English is required because the training will be conducted in English

• Applicants must be available to attend all fellowship sessions

• Participants must be able to attend the sessions from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time from November 16 to November 20, 2026

• Employed journalists must obtain support from their editor to attend the full training

• Freelance journalists must demonstrate interest from an editor or publication in publishing their reporting on the topic

Required Application Materials

• Completed online application form

• Letter of support from an editor for employed journalists

• Confirmation from the editor that the journalist will be released from work for four hours each day during the fellowship

• Letter from an editor indicating interest in publishing the proposed work for freelance journalists

Applicants should ensure that their supporting documentation clearly demonstrates their ability to participate fully in the programme and develop publishable reporting on rare disease issues.

How to Apply

1. Review the fellowship requirements and confirm that you are a professional journalist eligible to participate.
2. Confirm that you can attend all online sessions from November 16 to November 20, 2026, between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
3. If you are employed by a media organization, obtain a letter of support from your editor confirming permission to attend the four hour sessions each day.
4. If you are a freelance journalist, obtain a letter from an editor showing interest in publishing your proposed rare disease reporting.
5. Complete the online application form with accurate professional and contact information.
6. Submit the application before October 22, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.
7. Accepted fellows should participate fully in the training and follow the requirements for any reporting grant they receive.
8. Grant recipients must complete and publish their reporting project no later than March 1, 2027.