Insights from the 2026 International Journalism Festival
The MIF team is back from the International Journalism Festival, where we had the privilege of joining funders, journalists and researchers from around the world discussing local news, journalist safety and more.
We organized two panels and hosted our annual funder brunch, and this year, our work focused on how funders are thinking about journalism safety and impact right now and where there are opportunities for collaboration.
Our Executive Director, Abby Rapoport, moderated a conversation on how funders are approaching safety and sustainability. Safety is no longer just a concern for reporters in conflict zones. While there’s been growing investment in journalism infrastructure, there’s a critical gap in support systems to protect journalists themselves. The discussion explored how funders are navigating risk and responsibility and what it will take to sustain journalism in an increasingly volatile global environment.
Nina Sachdev, our Deputy Director of External Affairs, led a session on what journalism can learn from documentary funders. Panelists discussed the factors that shape funding decisions and the ethics of how stories are produced. The conversation offered practical insight into how these approaches might translate into newsroom practice.
We also convened our annual funder breakfast, bringing together more than 50 donors from the U.S. and Europe reflecting on pooled funds, shared infrastructure, non-monetary journalism support and more. Funders from Limelight Foundation, Humanity United, Media Forward Fund, International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) and Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) each reflected on how their organizations are thinking about collaboration in this moment. One theme that consistently emerged: collaboration is often a strategic imperative.
Stay tuned for more reflections and takeaways about the international media funding landscape coming soon!
