Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellowships

All fellowship projects are built and implemented within the span of the 8 month fellowship and must be free, accessible and open-source for journalists, newsrooms and the public to utilize.

The final product of your fellowship must be a resource that journalists and newsrooms can utilize – whether it’s a guide, toolkit, platform, workshop or tool.

Types of Fellowships

• They have two types of RJI Fellowships:
  • Residential Fellowship
    • This year’s residential fellowship is for an individual who wants to spend a year at RJI to create a resource to help newsrooms generate new sources of direct revenue. Some examples include: growing and making use of first-party data, creating new products, improving existing options like sponsorships and memberships.
    • The fellow will collaborate with RJI staff, students and faculty on-site at the institute in Columbia, Missouri. They will get a living stipend and have access to funding through the institute for project expenses. The end product will be a free, accessible and equitable resource that has been piloted across the country in community-centered newsrooms before the end of the fellowship.
  • Remote: Nonresidential or Institutional
    • Nonresidential fellowships are a remote fellowship where the funding goes directly to an individual to let them pursue an idea outside of their day job/work. You will make at least one visit to RJI to meet your Fellow cohort, RJI leadership, faculty, students and access on-site resources. Your project will be implemented and tested in the newsroom(s) of your choice during your fellowship, before your final product is launched for journalists to utilize.

Funding Information

• Residential Fellowship
  • Up to $100,000 which includes a living stipend and funding for project expenses through the institute.
• Remote: Nonresidential or Institutional
  • Fellows receive a $25,000 stipend, payable in increments as deliverables are met for each stage of the fellowship.

Duration

• Residential Fellowship: 12 months
• Remote: Nonresidential or Institutional: 8 months

Deliverables & Expectations

• Residential Fellowship
  • One article each month published on the website that gives transparent updates on your progress, results, lessons learned, challenges, successes and failures.
  • Lead a monthly public webinar, panel or event that brings journalists, students, faculty, newsrooms and communities into the conversation around your project and/or supplies learning opportunities related to your project. Should also function as a feedback loop on your project deliverables and resource end product.
  • Weekly meetings with the RJI Director of Innovation to report progress, ask questions and access RJI resources.
  • Guest lecture monthly in a class or student related training/event relevant to your subject at Mizzou and RJI.
  • One presentation to Mizzou faculty & guests per a semester to talk about progress, lessons and opportunities for collaboration.
  • Implement your resource in the One Newsroom + at least 5 community centered newsrooms across the country.
  • Mentor, manage and engage with Missouri School of Journalism students hired by RJI to work on your project.
  • Launch a final free, interactive resource by June 2025 that is ready to be utilized by newsrooms & journalists + documentation on how to use it and the principles behind it.

For more information, visit RJI.