Applications open for StoryReach U.S. Fellowship

The yearlong Fellowship opportunity is a chance for forward-thinking journalists and local and regional newsrooms to collaborate with peers and the Center’s staff to unlock the full potential of storytelling and innovative audience reach.

The initiative is a response to the challenges facing local and regional outlets across the United States, including the rise in misinformation and erosion of trust in media. At the same time, they are inspired by so many local outlets that are placing audiences at the center of their editorial strategies and finding creative ways to engage with them beyond publication and political bubbles.

StoryReach U.S. was created as a laboratory of innovative thinking and best practices for deep reporting and public outreach to engage communities across the United States on important issues that affect them. They will encourage the Fellows to share lessons learned so they can serve as blueprints for other journalists across the country focused on adapting to changing media consumption habits, exploring monetization opportunities, measuring impact, and discovering new audiences.

This spring, they will launch a cohort of eight to 10 Fellows who are partnered with local or regional U.S. news outlets. Freelance and staff reporters are eligible as long as they provide a sponsorship letter from a partner newsroom in their application. The part-time, yearlong Fellowship is designed for reporters from all beats, desks, and media formats. The ideal candidate will have at least three years of experience with ambitious investigative or enterprise reporting projects. The ideal candidate will also possess some experience with audience outreach or a partner newsroom with innovative ideas for engaging audiences beyond publishing. While they welcome proposals on a broad range of underreported issues, this year they are also placing special emphasis on a few topics:

• Health: Reporting projects that delve into scientific progress and research, as well as projects that explore urgent underreported health concerns in your region. They are also interested in reporting that highlights the intersection of scientific and technological innovations in health and medical treatments.
• Science Misinformation: Any underreported topics related to science misinformation, science denial, or the spread of pseudoscience, such as falsehoods around advances in medical treatments, therapies or vaccines, or the denial of man-made climate destruction.
• Marine Fisheries: Any underreported topics related to the management or stewardship of marine fisheries or issues related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing or seafood supply chains that are affecting your region.
• Human Rights: Any underreported stories that relate to the intersections of racial justice with issues such as sexual and reproductive rights, gender-based violence, refugees and migrant rights, excessive use of force, arbitrary detention, child welfare, or hate crimes.

Funding Information

• Fellows are eligible to receive up to $30,000 divided into three payments. Please include a detailed budget explaining your reporting expenses and strong ideas for audience engagement for your Fellowship project.
• The Fellowship is expected to start in early April 2024 and last through March 2025.
• In addition, Fellows will have access to data and research support and training with a group of peers that will help strengthen their reporting projects and related engagement activities.

Benefits

• The opportunity to work on an urgent, underreported issue for a substantial period of time.
• Access to mentors and specialized training opportunities.
• A community of like-minded colleagues that will continue beyond your Fellowship.
• Financial support to cover records requests, travel expenses, data analysis, and stipends.
• The opportunity to find strong collaborators, ideas, and inspiration for your project or future projects.
• The support to experiment with new ways to reach audiences in your region and deepen connections with the community your outlet serves.
• The chance to further amplify your project through the Pulitzer Center’s outreach and education programs.
• An opportunity to connect with the Pulitzer Center’s Data and Research team for advice on your reporting project.

Who can apply?

• Staff or freelance journalists working for U.S. local or regional outlets on a wide range of platforms, including digital, print, radio, video, and multimedia.
• Team players with the experience and/or ability to work collaboratively across newsrooms.
• Reporters with a deep interest in engaging diverse audiences with their stories.
• Reporters can be based anywhere. However, they must be partnered with a local or regional U.S. news outlet. Fellowships are remote.
• Reporters from any nationality are eligible to apply.

For more information, visit Pulitzer Center.