DEADLINE: Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute Fellowships

The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute is now accepting 2024-25 RJI Fellowship applications from individuals or organizations with an innovative journalism project idea that could also benefit the industry.

Chosen projects often include devising new strategies or models to solve a problem, building new tools, creating a training workshop/program or building resources for journalists. All fellowship projects are built and implemented within the span of the eight-month fellowship.

Past fellows have built a development tracker toolkit, Upward, a coaching program for journalists of color to help them ascend into leadership roles in news, the disability matters toolkit and a guide to help newsrooms produce journalism with their incarcerated communities among other amazing resources.

Whatever your idea, its creation should benefit other news organizations, journalists and the people who depend on them. You will publish regular updates to share what you’re learning for other newsrooms or journalists who want to tackle similar projects.

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.

We have two types of RJI Fellowships:

1. Residential Fellowship

The 2024 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.

START DATE: July 1, 2024
DURATION: 12 months
FUNDING: Up to $100,000 which includes a living stipend and funding for project expenses through the institute.

2. 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.

START: July 1, 2024
HOW LONG: 8 months
STIPEND: Fellows receive a $25,000 stipend, payable in increments as deliverables are met for each stage of the fellowship.

Applications are due Feb 4, 2024.