Request for Applications: The 2026 Counter Narrative Project (CNP) Media Fund
About the Opportunity | Timeline | Completing the Application | Frequently Asked Questions
CNP is excited to announce we are now accepting applications for the 2026 funding cycle of the CNP Media Fund. This initiative will provide mini-grants to media organizations to build their capacity to tell more stories about the impact of HIV on vulnerable communities. This funding opportunity is made possible by generous support from ViiV Healthcare’s AMP Grant Initiative.
About CNP
Founded in 2014 as a catalyst for social and cultural change, CNP seeks to shift narratives about Black queer men to change policy and improve lives. A key component of our narrative shift work is to increase awareness of health issues affecting Black LGBTQIA+ individuals—especially HIV—through increased stories in the media.
CNP believes the media is a key stakeholder in shifting narratives to combat stigma and seeks to collaborate with media outlets that are committed to HIV justice and wish to facilitate the publication and amplification of such stories.
Since its founding, CNP has collaborated with writers, artists, journalists and storytellers to offer more complex and compelling stories about the community. CNP has provided information and resources to journalists seeking to report on HIV, LGBTQIA+ issues, and community health concerns. CNP has also shared content from their digital publication The Reckoning. CNP has worked with community organizers and advocates to write and publish blogs, Op-Eds and first-person narratives in newspapers and magazines.
About the Opportunity for Funding
CNP invites media organizations with broad audience reach in critical markets to apply for up to $20,000 in funding to support the creation and publication of stories that highlight the impact of HIV on vulnerable communities. Most grants will be between $10,000 and $15,000 and as part of this opportunity, CNP will convene the grant partners to train and empower them to better cover the impact of HIV and related issues. This initiative is rooted in the long-standing commitment and leadership of CNP within narrative justice work.
Applications for funding must be submitted by 5:00pm ET on Friday, January 30, 2026 via this form.
Goal
To reduce HIV-related stigma by amplifying stories that highlight the impact of HIV on vulnerable communities.
Grant Focus
Increase the number of stories being published or produced about the impact of HIV on vulnerable communities.
Grant Information
The Fund will provide mini-grants to media organizations to build their capacity to tell more stories about the impact of HIV on vulnerable communities. CNP will provide up to 12 grants, with most grant awards being between $10,000 and $20,000. The 2026 grant period will begin on April 1, 2026 and end on December 15, 2026. Grant partners will be expected to publish/produce between four (4) and six (6) stories during the grant period. The number of stories that grant partners will be expected to publish/produce will depend on each individual grant award. Please note that CNP expects deep reporting for these stories. The medium used for the stories can be written (print or online) and/or audio (podcast or radio). CNP expects to have a diverse grantee cohort creating stories across media types.
Training & Technical Assistance
CNP will provide one training free-of-charge through this grant initiative. Additional technical assistance may be provided throughout the grant period depending on available resources. Please note that all grant partners will be expected to participate in three cohort-wide meetings in accordance with the schedule provided in this RFA.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
Attend the pre-application information session (not required, but highly recommended)
Be media organizations with a broad audience reach in critical media markets, especially markets in the southern U.S.
Be based in the U.S. with a 501(c)(3) designation or have an associated entity (i.e., fiscal sponsor) with a 501(c)(3) designation to receive and manage the grant
If you do not have 501(c)(3) status or a fiscal sponsor with such a designation, please contact CNP@intent-impact.com before applying.
If your organization has a fiscal sponsor with 501(c)(3) status, please provide the fiscal sponsor agreement. Please see the Frequently Asked Questions section for more details.
Applicants must be able to meet the partnership expectations outlined in the next section during the grant period
Current and former grant partners who are in good standing are eligible to apply. Please note: being a current or former grantee of any of CNP’s grantmaking initiatives does not guarantee funding for this or future funding cycles.
Partnership Expectations
Provide progress updates via email as needed
Publish/produce at least four (4) stories covering people living with HIV and/or the impact of HIV on vulnerable communities
Attend each of the following 2-hour virtual meetings:
Grant partner orientation at 1:00 PM ET Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Training on HIV, non-stigmatizing language, and other relevant topics scheduled for May 2026
Grantee virtual summit scheduled for November 2026
Participate in a midpoint check-in meeting with CNP staff to be held during the month of August 2026
Complete a written final report that includes links to published stories
Program Work Plans
Applicants must submit a program work plan as part of their application using this form. The program work plan provides descriptions for each proposed story, outlines a schedule for story publication/production, and lists the staff responsible.
Use of Grant Funds
Grant funds are for the exclusive purposes outlined in the proposal, once approved by CNP.
Grant funds may not be used for any of the following:
Direct and grassroots lobbying and associated activities
Events—including associated costs for planning, staffing, implementation, speaker honoraria, or travel
Purchase of any medications
Product donations
Matching gifts
Salary of a licensed medical professional
Patient assistance programs
Certified medical education
Direct building expenses, endowments or other capital expenditures
Possible Supported Projects
Op-Eds
Cultural criticism
Arts and culture reviews
News articles
Feature stories and profiles
Podcasts
Timeline
Request for Applications Released: Friday, December 12, 2025
Informational Session: 2:30 PM ET on Wednesday, January 14, 2026
You may register for the informational session here
Proposals Due: 5:00 PM ET on Friday, January 30, 2026
Applicants Notified of Decisions: Friday, March 13, 2026
Grant Agreements Finalized: week of March 16, 2026
Grant Period Begins: Wednesday, April 1, 2026
Grant Partner Orientation: 1:00 PM ET on Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Grant Partner Meeting & Training: May 2026
Midpoint Check-Ins: August 2026
CNP Grantee Virtual Summit: November 2026
Grant Period Ends: Tuesday, December 15, 2026
Final Report: Friday, January 15, 2027
Application Evaluation Considerations
Clear and understandable responses to each application prompt
Number of years in operation
Multi-year, proven track record creating content similar to that which is proposed in the application
Quality of the overall body of work with illustrative examples
Realistic timeline for publishing/producing stories
Audience reach beyond the HIV field
Application Informational Sessions
CNP will host an informational session to review this Request for Applications and answer questions. It is strongly encouraged that all applicants attend this session, which will be at 2:30 PM ET on Wednesday, January 14, 2026. Please register for the sessions using this link.
Completing the Application
Completed applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM ET on Friday, January 30, 2026 via this form. Each prompt has a maximum word count. Please do not exceed that word maximum. Any responses that exceed word maximums may not be reviewed. Please pay close attention to the description of what makes for a strong response.
For those prompts where examples are provided, please limit them to no more than two links or attachments. If more than two links or attachments are provided, only the first two will be reviewed and considered. Please also note that grant reviewers will watch no more than two minutes of any video content provided.
Application Prompts
Below are the application prompts that need to be completed.
Describe any experience covering the impact of HIV on vulnerable communities and related issues. Examples include: (1) Reporting on advances in HIV prevention or treatment; (2) Reviewing content including books, films, television, music that was created by a person living with HIV; (3) Producing a podcast episode that highlights HIV and its impact on vulnerable communities. (500 words max.)
A strong response includes at least two issues that the organization has covered with details about the published or produced pieces.
Examples described must be accompanied by a link or an attachment to the published or produced piece, and must follow the parameters outlined in the Application Instructions.
Please note that reviewers will watch no more than 2 minutes for any video files provided.
Describe any experience creating content or telling stories about issues that some members of the public might find controversial. What approach did you take to ensure the facts were presented accurately and that diverse perspectives were included? Please provide linked examples of this work. (500 words max.)
A strong response includes an example of an issue that was covered about which members of the public have strong negative opinions, the approach taken to present facts accurately, and how differing perspectives were included.
If the organization has not covered such content, describe what approaches would be taken if such a topic were covered.
Examples described must be accompanied by a link or an attachment to the published or produced piece, and must follow the parameters outlined in the Application Instructions.
Please note that reviewers will watch no more than 2 minutes for any video files provided.
Describe your audience reach, the media market(s) where your content is disseminated, and the people who engage with your content. (500 words max.)
A strong response includes a clear description of the makeup of the audience(s) engaged, a description of the media market(s) where the organization disseminates its work, and an estimated number that represents the reach of the organization’s work (e.g., “We reach over 100,000 people across our platforms with most of our audience being Black LGBTQIA+ people.”).
Please note that if your primary audiences are reached via social media platforms, the estimated numbers should be reflected in your follower counts on those platforms.
Describe any challenges you may experience in producing and/or covering stories that highlight the impact of HIV on vulnerable communities and how you will address those challenges. (500 words max.)
A strong response includes at least two realistic challenges that the organization could face while covering stories about HIV and related issues along with a clear explanation of the steps the organization might take to address those challenges.
List at least four (4) ideas for stories that will highlight the impact of HIV in vulnerable communities and could serve as the basis for the creation of published / produced pieces. (100 words max.)
A strong response will include four distinct story ideas that clearly connect to the impact of HIV on vulnerable communities.
Complete a work plan using this template.
A strong response has comprehensive descriptions for each proposed story, outlines a schedule for story publication/production, and lists the staff responsible.
Outline the process that the applicant will use to publish or produce the stories for this project and describe the experience and/or expertise of the staff responsible for creating the content. (500 words max.)
A strong response includes details on how the applicant will identify and collect the stories that will be shared, the process used to develop and finalize the content (published/produced pieces), delineates the major tasks associated with publishing/producing these stories, and the experience/expertise of the staff who will work on creating the content.
List the primary form(s) of media that will be used for this project.
CNP is committed to creating a diverse grantee cohort that comprises applicants that work in various media.
Please provide the social media accounts and follower count for all platforms that apply.
Instagram
Twitter/X
TikTok
Bluesky
Facebook
YouTube
Provide the total amount of the organization’s FY2026 budget. For those applicants who are fiscally sponsored, please provide both the fiscal sponsor’s FY2026 budget and the operating budget of the fiscally sponsored entity.
Provide the grant amount requested.
Maximum grant request is $20,000.
Please share if and how you used artificial intelligence to complete this application.
Attestations
The person submitting the application will be required to attest that they are authorized to do so and that all content provided is true and correct. The language below will be included in the submission form.
By providing your name and title in the fields below, you agree that it constitutes an electronic signature and agree to statements (1) and (2) below.
I certify that I am authorized by the Executive Director and / or Board of Directors of the applicant organization to submit this proposal on behalf of the organization. If this application is submitted with the support of a fiscal sponsor, I certify that that their authorizing official is aware of and approves submission of this request for funding.
I certify that all statements and representations provided in this application are true and correct. I understand that I may be held civilly and/or criminally liable under federal or state law for knowingly making false or fraudulent statements.
Full Legal Name:
Title:
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This FAQ document will be updated if and as questions arise while the RFA is open, including questions asked during the informational sessions. If you have additional questions, please reach out to CNP@intent-impact.com.
What has changed since the 2025 grant cycle?
This grant cycle, the eligibility for who can receive a grant has changed along with the work plan requirement. Please refer to each individual question and answer below for more details.
Who can apply for a grant through the CNP Media Fund?
We are looking for media organizations with a broad audience reach in critical markets, especially markets in the southern U.S. However, only those organizations with nonprofit (501c3) status or who have a fiscal sponsor with such a status can receive a grant. This is different from our 2025 grant cycle.
Do we need to have a fiscal sponsor agreement if we do not have nonprofit (501c3) status? And what should that agreement include?
Yes. This is different from our 2025 grant cycle. For this grant cycle, only organizations with 501(c)(3) status are eligible to receive a grant. Therefore, any applicant without such a status must have a fiscal sponsor with such a status. If an applicant has a fiscal sponsor, they must provide a copy of the agreement between them and their fiscal sponsor that includes the obligations each party has to one another and any associated fees the fiscal sponsor will charge.
When is the deadline?
Applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM ET on Wednesday, January 30, 2026.
What is the grant award range (minimum and maximum grant award amount)?
Grant award amounts will vary, but most grant awards will fall between $10,000 and $15,000. The most an applicant may request is $20,000.
How many grants will be awarded in this grant cycle?
Depending on the size of the grant awards, we anticipate a cohort of between 8 and 12 grant partners.
Do I need to complete a work plan with my grant application?
Yes. This is different from our 2025 grant cycle. We ask that all applicants submit a work plan using the template provided.
Am I required to attend an RFA informational session?
No. However, CNP highly recommends attending one of the informational sessions to ensure all questions can be answered and any concerns can be addressed.
How many pieces must be published/produced during the grant period?
Grant partners will be expected to publish/produce at least four (4) pieces during the grant period. However, depending on the amount awarded, some grant partners may be expected to publish/produce more.
