DEADLINE: StoryReach U.S. Fellowships

The Pulitzer Center is now accepting applications for its new StoryReach U.S. lab. 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, we 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. We 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, we 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.

While we welcome proposals on a broad range of underreported issues, this year we 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. We 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.

The 12-month, part-time Fellowship will provide journalists with up to $30,000 to pursue their reporting project and innovative engagement activities that expand the reach and impact of their reporting. 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.

Deadline: Mar 3, 2024, at 11:59pm PST

Details and application.