Pulitzer Center 2025 Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN) Fellowship For Journalists

The Pulitzer Center is now accepting applications for the 2025 Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN) Fellowship. This fellowship offers journalists a unique opportunity to lead investigative projects on critical issues of deforestation in tropical rainforests, specifically in the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia. Journalists selected for this program will receive extensive support, training, and resources to uncover the financial drivers, illegal activities, and supply chains contributing to rainforest degradation.

Application Deadline

The deadline to apply for the Pulitzer Center’s RIN Fellowship is December 31, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST.

About the Pulitzer Center RIN Fellowship

The Pulitzer Center established the RIN Fellowship to support in-depth investigative journalism focused on the destruction of tropical rainforests and its global implications. Led by journalist Gustavo Faleiros and a team of skilled mentors, the fellowship includes investigative techniques, data analysis, and reporting methodology training. Fellows are encouraged to work both individually and in cross-border collaborations, advancing impactful, data-driven reporting on the complex environmental, economic, and social issues surrounding deforestation.

Eligible Fields

The fellowship is open to investigative journalists specializing in various platforms, including print, radio, video, and multimedia, who are dedicated to addressing environmental issues, especially deforestation.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Experience: Applicants should be seasoned investigative journalists with a background in covering issues related to the Amazon, Congo Basin, or Southeast Asia, or working on themes related to global deforestation.
Global Participation: While preference is given to reporters based in tropical rainforest regions, journalists outside these areas may apply if they focus their fellowship work on the specified regions.

Employment: Freelance journalists must have the support of a newsroom that commits to publishing the work produced during the fellowship.
Collaboration Skills: Ideal candidates should be team-oriented and able to work effectively with journalists across borders and newsrooms.
Subject Matter Expertise: A deep understanding of deforestation’s scientific, social, legal, and economic implications is crucial, along with the motivation to educate and engage the public on these issues.

Outreach: Fellows are expected to engage in outreach efforts, including community meetings and educational visits.

Selection Criteria

Applicants will be assessed on the following:

Statement of Purpose: Describe how the fellowship aligns with your career goals, your fit for the program, and potential collaborative benefits (500 words).

Project Proposal: Outline a specific investigative project, including evidence of prior reporting and, if relevant, a cross-border component (up to 1,000 words).
Published Work: Submit three examples of impactful investigations from the past three years.
Letter of Support: Freelance journalists should include a support letter from a newsroom willing to publish their fellowship work.

References: Provide three professional references or recommendation letters.
Résumé/CV: Include an updated résumé or CV detailing your professional background.

Eligible Countries

The RIN Fellowship is open to journalists worldwide, regardless of nationality.

Benefits of the Pulitzer Center RIN Fellowship

Fellows in the RIN program will gain access to a range of resources and benefits designed to support comprehensive, high-impact journalism:

Resources for Complex Investigations: Fellows can focus on resource-intensive projects, with the support needed to tackle complex, costly investigations.
Global Network: Journalists gain access to a global network of investigative reporters and environmental experts, enabling collaboration across regions.

Data and Research Support: The Pulitzer Center’s Data and Research team provides access to critical data, documents, and training on advanced investigative techniques, including satellite imagery, digital tools, and financial tracking.
Cross-Border Collaboration: Fellows will work on projects that transcend regional boundaries, enabling stories with global impact.
Professional Development: Specialized training in deforestation analysis, satellite and digital tools, and “follow-the-money” techniques to enhance data journalism skills.

Peer Community: Fellows will join a network of like-minded journalists that will serve as an ongoing resource beyond the fellowship period.
Compensation: Competitive salaries based on experience.

How to Apply

Note that the deadline to apply for the Pulitzer Center’s RIN Fellowship is December 31, 2024, at 11:59 PM EST.
Applications should be submitted using the Pulitzer Center’s online application form, available in multiple languages (English, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Bahasa Indonesia).

CLICK HERE AND APPLY