The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) is seeking applications for its fellowship program from U.S. citizens and foreign journalists to collaborate with RJI on ideas and projects that will help them understand and meet the information needs of individuals in their roles as citizens.
The fellowship program is focused on innovation and problem-solving. Each fellow is expected to produce deliverables intended to enhance the practice and understanding of journalism or advertising.
The Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute works with citizens, journalists and researchers to strengthen democracy through better journalism. RJI seeks out the most exciting new ideas, tests them with real-world experiments, uses social science research to assess their effectiveness and delivers solutions that citizens and journalists can put to use in their own communities.
Areas of Interest
- Projects focused on inclusivity and engaging communities.
- Applied research that helps better understand the business and practice of journalism.
- New techniques, tools and technologies.
- Prototypes that need further development and market testing.
- Ideas for new revenue streams or business models that many news organizations could adopt.
Types of Fellowship
- RJI Residential Fellowship: Designed for persons inside and outside media industries who want to collaborate with RJI in the pursuit of solutions to a particular journalism problem.
- Benefits: Fellows receive a $10,000 a month stipend and a one-time $10,000 allowance to use for relocation or housing.
- RJI Non Residential Fellowship: Designed for entrepreneurial individuals with a strong interest in journalism and issues related to digital communications.
- Benefits: Fellows receive a $20,000 stipend, payable monthly for eight months at $2,500/month, plus some research and travel support
- RJI Institutional Fellowship: Designed to unlock some of the thoughtful, meaningful ideas inside newsrooms, ad departments, boardrooms, break rooms, etc., that for various reasons can’t get any traction. RJI will collaborate with a leader at a company or institution who will identify an employee who can develop an idea or lead a team that could do it.
- Benefits: $20,000 payable to the company or institution, in four $5,000 payments
Eligibility Criteria
- RJI Fellowships are open to U.S. citizens and foreign journalists.
- RJI welcomes any proposals that offer the hope of strengthening the journalism-democracy relationship.
