Deadline: September 16, 2020
Applications are open for the TRACE Investigative Reporting Fellowship 2021. TRACE and Alfred Friendly share the belief in the power of investigative journalism to hold the powerful accountable and strengthen democracies.
The fellowship program begins with a three-week orientation and training seminar at the Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Missouri designed to prepare the fellows – both personally and professionally – for the challenges of living and working in the United States.
Topics for seminars and hands-on training include ethics, writing, editing, multimedia reporting, investigative reporting and data journalism. At the middle of the program, fellows and staff come together for advanced training sessions. Fellows join the staffs of one or more major U.S. media outlets for five months. A final seminar in Washington allows them to compare and evaluate their experiences and discuss their impressions of the American media, and to learn and practice presentations to make in their home countries to share what they’ve learned with colleagues.
Cost
- The fellowship covers all costs of program-related international and domestic U.S. travel, health insurance and provides a monthly stipend to cover basic living expenses.
- It is highly recommended that fellows bring additional money with them. While family members may visit for up to one month, they cannot accompany the fellow for the duration of the fellowship.
Eligibility
- Open to early-career professional journalists from developing countries.
- The successful candidate will be 25-35 years old and have at least three years of experience as a journalist at a print, online or broadcast media outlet.
- Participants working as staff reporters in their host newsrooms are required to develop training plans that they implement when they return to their home newsrooms.
Application
A complete application includes:
- Application Form: The application form must be completed in full. Please attach one additional page to the application form if more space is needed to answer questions.
- CV/Resume: A curriculum vitae (CV) or résumé that outlines your professional and educational history. Briefly describe your responsibilities and achievements in each job. The CV/résumé should be one to two pages, typed and in English.
- Essays: Each of the essays should be one to two pages, 400 to 800 words, typed and in English.
- Professional Statement. Please describe your journalistic experience, career plans and goals, and how you will work in and outside your home newsroom to share what you learn on the Press Partners program with others.
- Individual Fellowship Goals. Outline the specific goals you’d like to achieve if awarded a TRACE Investigative Reporting Fellowship administered by Alfred Friendly.
- Letter of Reference: Two confidential reference letters are required. A third reference from someone familiar with your personality, character, background, etc., is optional. References from Press Partners alumni who you know well are welcomed and encouraged.
- Employer’s Employment: Please have your employer complete and sign the form on page 6 endorsing your participation and granting a six-month leave of absence should you be chosen.
- Articles: Links to four published/broadcast stories that best show your interests and abilities. Full English translations, completed by the applicant, must accompany articles not written in English originally. Note: Editors who do not have recent clips may include copies of published work along with a description of your editing role in these samples. Internet journalists must submit samples that are journalistic in nature and demonstrate that your job involves news gathering, writing, editing or producing. Broadcast journalists should submit links of video samples with translations or summaries in English if necessary.
- Photograph: One passport-size head-shot photo, taken in the last six months.
- Press Credentials: A clear photocopy/scan of your working press credentials, press pass or equivalent.
- Copy of Passport: A clear photocopy/scan of your valid passport. Please include picture, information pages and any U.S. visas you’ve had. (If you hold more than one passport please send copies of each.)
- Copy of Driver’s License: (if applicable) A clear photocopy/scan of your valid automobile driver’s license.
Press partners must receive completed applications by September 16, 2020. Email to application form and documents to david@presspartners.org. The subject of the email should be TRACE Fellowship Application AFPP.
For more information, visit TRACE Investigative Reporting Fellowship.
