Local Reporting Network Fellow

About ProPublica

ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom dedicated to producing investigative journalism in the public interest. With a mission to expose wrongdoing and hold power accountable, ProPublica combines rigorous reporting with innovative storytelling to create impact-driven journalism that serves communities across the United States.

About This Fellowship

ProPublica's Local Reporting Network is a groundbreaking program designed to strengthen investigative journalism in communities where such vital stories would otherwise go untold. Now in its ninth year of operation, the program is expanding significantly in 2026, opening 15 new partnerships with local and regional newsrooms across the country.

This fellowship provides comprehensive support for one full-time reporter per selected newsroom, enabling journalists to undertake deep, investigative projects with real community impact. The program recognizes that the strongest journalism often emerges from local newsrooms with deep roots in their communities and intimate knowledge of local issues that demand scrutiny.

Fellowship Details & Timeline

Applications for all 15 projects are currently open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis with three distinct cohorts throughout 2026:

• Spring Cohort – Application deadline: Rolling through February 5, 2026 (midnight ET). Fellowship dates: April 1, 2026 – March 31, 2027. Open to all applicants from English-language local and regional newsrooms in the United States and its territories.
• Summer Cohort – Application deadline: Rolling through May 1, 2026. Fellowship dates: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027. Open to newsrooms in states eligible through ProPublica's 50 State Initiative.
• Fall Cohort – Application deadline: Rolling through August 3, 2026. Fellowship dates: October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027. Open to newsrooms in remaining states eligible through the 50 State Initiative (list to be updated July 2025).

Financial Support & Benefits

ProPublica will provide a grant paid in monthly installments to selected newsrooms. The grant reflects the annual salary for one full-time reporter, up to $80,000 plus a 25% allowance for benefits, totaling potential support up to $100,000 annually per fellowship.

What We're Looking For

Successful candidates must demonstrate:

• A proven track record of investigative reporting and measurable impact
• Deep understanding of community-specific issues that warrant investigation
• Ability to articulate why a project is essential to tell within their particular community
• Projects that couldn't be effectively reported from anywhere else due to local expertise and access
• Clear vision of how ProPublica collaboration—including access to data, research resources, and audience engagement strategies—would strengthen the proposed reporting
• Commitment to a one-year partnership producing substantive investigative work

Application Requirements

Each application must include a detailed memo outlining the investigative project you propose to pursue during the one-year fellowship period. Your proposal should clearly explain the newsworthiness of your story, its significance to your community, and how this partnership would enable reporting that might otherwise be impossible.

Why This Matters

Local newsrooms are critical to a healthy democracy, yet many communities lack resources for sustained investigative journalism. This fellowship addresses that gap by providing both financial support and collaborative partnership with one of America's most respected nonprofit news organizations. Selected fellows gain access to ProPublica's expertise in data journalism, public records research, FOIA strategies, and audience engagement—resources that amplify the impact of local reporting.

The Local Reporting Network has built a strong track record of supporting journalists who uncover abuse, expose corruption, and hold institutions accountable at the local level—work that often has state and national implications.

💰 Base fellowship grant covers up to $80,000 salary plus 25% benefits allowance (approximately $100,000 total). Market estimate for similar investigative reporting positions: $80K–$130K USD annually, varying by experience and location.