Oxford International Centre for Publishing (OICP)

David McClure was a well-respected news producer, author and journalist whose investigation into institutional privilege resulted in two nonfiction books, and a series of impactful pieces of public interest journalism. He died from cancer in June 2022.

McClure spent a decade on a forensic investigation to uncover the lavish privilege around the British Royal family’s private estates and investments, all of which had been protected from public scrutiny for centuries. Dubbed as ‘bombshell revelations’ by the press, Royal Legacy: How the royal family have made, spent and passed on their wealth (2014), and The Queen's True Worth: Unravelling the public & private finances of Queen Elizabeth II (2020), were both serialised in the UK press and covered extensively by the global media. 

The David McClure Public Interest Journalism Fellowship exists to recognise the time-consuming and costly endeavour of rigorously researching and surfacing public interest journalism. 

Throughout the decade in which McClure worked on his royal investigations, funding for investigative journalism was in decline and under threat, which the 2019 Cairncross Review also recognised. Today, funding a media system that operates in the interests of an increasingly divided public to hold power to account still remains a key challenge, and one which this award seeks to support.  

Starting in 2026, the Fellowship has been established via the David McClure Trust Fund. 

The fund will support one nonfiction writer per year for the next five years to work on a timely and independent piece of long-form journalism that holds significant relevance within today’s society. It will focus on public interest journalism which, without this funding, might never be published.

The selection of the Fellow comes with few conditions. The ultimate decision will be based on how deserving the writer’s proposed investigation is to be in the public domain. For more details, please read the FAQs below:

What is the criteria for the type of journalism the Fellowship will support?
The Fellowship will support the publication of a piece of long-form journalism that is of significant contemporary resonance. The ultimate decision is based on how deserving the work is to be in the public domain. But the investigation must be original, non-biased, non-partisan, and rigorously researched.

I am already working on an investigation, can I apply?
Yes. The Fellowship is for writers that already have an investigation underway but are unable to progress it without financial support. 

How do I prove I need financial support to finish the investigation? 
Although the aim is to support authors and journalists who are short of funds, they will not be means tested and the greater public domain candidate will prevail. In your application, please supply information on how the Fellowship fund will be vital in supporting the completion of the investigation.

Are there any age limits or diversity preferences for the type of Fellow? 
No. The ultimate decision will be based on how deserving the work is to be in the public domain. The award endeavours to be flexible in choosing beneficiaries — the pursuit of original journalism is key.

I have a great idea for an investigation but I haven’t started working on it yet. Will the fund support me to develop the idea? 
No. The award does not support new ideas that are not yet verified via initial research as worthy of an investigation.

Is my work guaranteed to be published as part of the Fellowship?
No, publication is not guaranteed. However, OICP will seek to have the completed work published on an appropriate platform that values rigorously researched journalism. 

Do I have any obligation to share my work with the Oxford Brookes University community?
Yes. The Fellow will openly share the completed investigation, the research process, and best practice with trainee journalists at Oxford Brookes, as requested, thereby contributing to the future of public service journalism. This will be in the form of an annual Open Lecture open to our wider community, a guest talk at the university for students, and where possible an archive collection of working documents stored at Oxford Brookes. 

Does Brookes own the copyright of my finished investigation?
No. The Fellow will retain copyright of the finished written work. The publisher of the finished piece may negotiate the rights in line with its own commissioning policies.

What type of platform should my investigation be aimed at and is there a preferred format?
This is entirely up to the Fellow. The investigation can be written for any platform that is trustworthy and relevant, and be intended for different mediums including a documentary script or a nonfiction book.

I’m not based in Oxford, can I still apply?
Yes. The Fellow is not required to be based at Oxford Brookes University or in Oxford. The Fellowship can operate fully online from anywhere in the world, with access to remote support and online resources.

What kind of resources will the Fellow have access to?
The university campus and online resources will be fully accessible to the Fellow, including the library (online) and special collections (on campus only).

What kind of support will the Fellow have access to?
Support will be varied and in the form of an industry mentor, and a supervisor from the OICP team. A relevant industry mentor, where possible from the OICP Journalism and/or Publishing Advisory Board, will be offered to advise at key stages in the investigation. 

Will the Fellow work independently?
On the day to day, yes. But the Fellow will also be supported by researchers selected from the OICP student cohort. Researchers can be assigned as needed, with a minimum of one student per year.

How will the Fellow be required to report on their progress?
The OICP supervisor will check in at key stages for a progress report. 

I need some training in a specific area in order to complete my investigation, can this be supported?
If the Fellow requires support or training with specific skills in order to complete the investigation, specific Continued Professional Development (CPD) training courses or modules at Oxford Brookes University can be funded by part of the award. This must be minimal and not exceed approximately one third of the total award. This option can be considered as part of your application or can be discussed at the selection stage or as the need arises. 

Will the Fellow be awarded an educational qualification from Oxford Brookes?
No. However, a journalism investigation may align with a practice-based MA by Research award at Oxford Brookes, which can be funded as part of the £15,000 Fellowship fund. MA by Research fees at Oxford Brookes can be found here. This option can be considered as part of your application or can be discussed at the selection stage.

The Fellow will be selected by an awarding panel made up of OICP and selected members of its two Industry Advisory Boards. Members of the OICP Industry Advisory boards include publishers, literary agents, journalists and authors, and other members of the industry. For more details:

• Publishing Advisory Board
• Journalism Advisory Board 

The applicant must submit an 1500-word pitch including a synopsis of their investigation and its aims, objectives, key research undertaken and progress to date, and what support they need to complete it, and how the Fellowship funds will be utilised.

Starting in 2026, there will be funding for one Fellow per year for the next five years. Each year, the Fellow will start in September. The annual application deadline is 31 May.