ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.

ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network helps produce vital, investigative journalism in communities where such stories would otherwise not be done. Now entering its ninth year, the program will be taking on 15 new partnerships over the course of 2026.

Applications for all 15 projects are open now and will be considered on a rolling basis using the deadlines below. There will be three fellowship periods and we will select five fellows for each round:

Spring cohort - This round is now closed.

Application deadline: Rolling, no later than Feb. 5, 2026, by midnight ET.
Open to: All applicants from English-language local and regional newsrooms in the United States and its territories.
Fellowship dates: April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027.

Summer cohort

Application deadline: Rolling, no later than May 1, 2026.
Open to: Newsrooms in the states listed as eligible through our 50 State Initiative.
Fellowships dates: July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

Fall cohort

Application deadline: Rolling, no later thanAug. 3, 2026.
Open to: Newsrooms in the remaining states listed as eligible through our 50 State Initiative. (Note: This list of states will be updated in July 2025.)
Fellowship dates: Oct. 1, 2026, through Sept. 30, 2027.

For these partnerships, ProPublica will provide a grant, to be paid in monthly installments, to the selected newsroom reflecting the annual salary (up to $80,000 plus a 25% allowance for benefits) for one full-time reporter in each newsroom. Successful candidates will have a proven track record of investigative reporting and impact, and will provide a memo about the project they’re proposing working on for the duration of the one-year partnership.

Strong applications will express why the project needs to be told in your community — we’re eager for projects that can’t be done anywhere else. They will also explain how the project would benefit from this collaboration, potentially including the role that our data, research and engagement reporting resources could play, and they will discuss how the project may resonate with both local and national audiences.

Once accepted, local reporters will work from and report to their home newsrooms while receiving extensive support and guidance for their work from ProPublica, including collaboration with a senior editor and access to the nonprofit newsroom’s expertise. The work will be published or broadcast by your newsroom and simultaneously by ProPublica.

ProPublica reporters and editors are available to answer questions or to give you feedback on your application before you submit it. Please reach us at Local.Reporting@propublica.org.

We are unable to accept applications via email. No phone calls, please.

We know there are great candidates who may not fit into what we’ve described above or who have important skills we haven’t thought of. If that’s you, don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

We are dedicated to improving our newsroom, in part by better reflecting the people we cover. (Here is a breakdown of our staff.) We are committed to diversity and building an inclusive environment for people of all backgrounds and ages. And we are taking steps to meet that commitment. We especially encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including women, people of color, LGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities. We are an equal opportunity employer and prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age or any other status protected under applicable law.

Originally posted on

Local Reporting Network Fellow at ProPublica