Grist News & Politics Fellowship Program 2021 for Early-career Journalists in the U.S. (Paid position)

Deadline: November 16, 2020

Applications are open for the Grist News & Politics Fellowship Program 2021. The Grist Fellowship Program is a paid opportunity to hone your skills at a national news outlet and deepen your understanding of environmental issues.

Grist is seeking a News & Politics Fellow to join their Editorial team. This fellowship will run for six months, beginning in January 2021. The fellow will report to the News Editor. With the mentorship and support of Grist’s editorial staff, the news & politics fellow will be expected to write quick news updates, newsletter items, and short, reported stories. You’ll help chronicle the progress being made to tackle the climate crisis, whether it’s coming from scientific laboratories, the halls of Congress, or companies and corporations.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify and pitch ideas for stories that identify the key issues in the day’s climate news — quick explainers, short analysis pieces, or even smart, voicey aggregation.
• Write multiple stories each week.
• Contribute to Grist’s daily newsletter The Beacon.
• Other duties, like research and fact-checking, may be assigned from time to time.
• Pitch and write one enterprise/feature story in the second half of your fellowship.
• Contribute to larger editorial projects as needed.

Benefits

• This fellowship is a paid, six-month opportunity ($3,334/month) for early-career journalists.
• Fellows are eligible for Grist health benefits coverage, including medical, vision, and dental.
• Fellows come away with six months of solid newsroom experience, a body of clips, and fluency in climate, science, and environmental policy issues.
• Through the Newsroom Training Series, fellows are also trained on a range of crucial skills, from filing FOIA requests to audio/video script-writing.
• Fellows benefit from full integration into the workings of a busy and exciting nonprofit media organization

Eligibility

• Applicants should have a four-year degree, or equivalent professional experience;
• Strong understanding of Grist’s brand;
• Demonstrated familiarity with climate and environmental science and policy;
• Ability to produce at least two stories per week;
• Ability to make a full-time, six-month commitment;
• Fellows can work remotely and be based anywhere in the United States.

Application

Applicants must submit the following in one PDF attachment:

1. Resume and cover letter: They are looking for a succinct, thoughtful cover letter that explains what you think are the most important climate and environmental policy topics and stories to follow in the next six months — and why you’re the right person to cover them for Grist.
2. Three samples of your work: Writing samples can be newspaper or magazine clips, blog posts, or unpublished pieces. They will gladly accept links to multimedia samples (video, illustration, infographic, podcast, etc.) but cannot review original files.
3. Write a short news post: Identify something that’s happening on the climate and environment beat and write a brief story for Grist. If possible, try to take a sharp angle on the news of the day or think up a smart way of making the news digestible. Please include any relevant links to news sources and background info. The brief should be about 300 words. Please include a link to an image or video that you would run with the story. (Note: They do not intend to publish this assignment, so don’t worry about whether you have the rights to the image or video.)

Application materials combined into one PDF attachment should be emailed to [email protected] Please include “News & Politics Fellow” in the subject line. Incomplete applications will not be considered. 

For more information, visit Grist Fellowship.