Missed the deadline for AAJA-LA’s grants for the national convention in Minneapolis? If you’re an early-career journalist, don’t fret! You can still apply for financial assistance to attend AAJA’s 2026 convention (June 24-28) through the Gregory Yuen Yee Training Grants program, co-sponsored by AAJA-LA and the Los Angeles Times. The training grants now have rolling deadlines.
The Greg Yee grants, created in honor of a dedicated Los Angeles Times breaking news reporter who died unexpectedly at age 33 in 2023, aim to help early-career journalists (those with no more than five years of newsroom experience) secure funding for skills training and professional development. The grants can be used to cover expenses for continuing education, certifications and journalism conventions. They can also be used to pursue local reporting or — sparked by Yee’s enduring love of photography — create visual projects.
Applicants do not need to be AAJA-LA members, though preference will be given to those who are. In 2026, grants will be capped at $1,500 per person.
Recipients will be expected to volunteer at AAJA-LA’s Trivia Bowl on Oct. 23, 2026, or at another chapter event. Additionally, the chapter will ask all recipients to write a short testimonial on what they used their grant for, so that we may share the information with Greg’s family and use it to help publicize the program.
For complete details about the grants, visit the Gregory Yuen Yee Training Grants site here.
Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until Dec. 1, 2026. The grant judging panel will reach out to applicants within a month of receiving the funding request. If you have any questions, please contact gregyeegrants@gmail.com. The 2026 application can be accessed here.
– Rubaina Azhar, general board member