MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowships (United States)

Studies show that localizing climate change impacts and actions is an effective way to engage audiences in climate solutions. Yet today, climate journalism is primarily limited to national news outlets. This fellowship helps provide Americans especially those living in areas where climate change is controversial or underreported with well-researched reporting on what a shift to a low-carbon economy can mean for them, their communities, and their local economies.

Funding Information

• Fellows will also be awarded up to $5,000 for project-related expenses and will have significant discretion with how to use these funds.
• Fellows will receive 50% of the stipend in advance and 50% upon publication of their project, though applicants should specify if this will present a hardship.

Eligible Projects 

• The fellowship supports projects that:
  • Relate climate change, the shift to a low-carbon economy, and or climate solutions within food and waste systems to their audience’s existing priorities and values;
  • Focus on the newsroom’s home counties or state.
  • Feature lived experience and local perspectives and voices.
  • Clearly indicate the applicant deeply understands their audience and local concerns.
  • Are investigative or explanatory.
  • Produce a long form feature or a series of a minimum of 4 shorter pieces;
  • Will open local conversations about climate change solutions and empower their audience to engage with this issue.
  • Have received a commitment from a local regional news outlet to publish the feature.

Eligibility Criteria

• They welcome applications from staff writers of U.S. newsrooms, or freelance journalists in association with a sponsoring newsroom, who want to tackle an ambitious project.
• Newsrooms can include newspapers, news magazines, broadcast stations, digital news outlets, and investigative journalism organizations. Writers employed by or writing for think tanks, lobbying groups, or advocacy groups are not eligible.
• They look for applicants with proven journalism experience, proven ability to report and execute a complex project in their proposed medium, and a strong background or reporting experience in the subject.
• They are committed to working with rural, hydrocarbon-producing and marginalized communities across the United States and they will ask judges to keep this in mind when selecting Fellowship placements.

For more information, visit MIT.