After suspending its 2020 competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Forum Freelance Fund has now re-opened for applications. The fund offers bursaries of up to $2500 to help Canadian freelancers -- and foreign freelancers working for Canadian media -- pay for hostile environment training.

The new deadline for the FFF is September 14, 2020.

The re-opened competition has longer periods during which courses must be chosen and taken, adjustments that were made to accommodate the complications caused by the pandemic. Winners will have up to 18 months to choose a course, and another 6 months to complete it. Bursaries must first be applied to course fees. The remainder can be used for travel costs.

There is also a separate new competition this year that is offering smaller bursaries for virtual safety courses. There are at least 15 bursaries of $400 available for virtual training courses. Applications for these new mini-bursaries will be awarded on a continuing basis until the funding runs out.

For more information on either of these bursary competitions, see the Forum Freelance Fund website.