Deadline: February 6, 2026
The RJI Professional Innovation Fellowships 2026 offer a unique opportunity for journalists, media practitioners, and organisations to develop practical, community-centred innovations that strengthen newsrooms and serve the public. Designed to support meaningful, open-source solutions that address real challenges in journalism, the fellowship empowers innovators to build, test, and launch impactful tools, platforms, and resources within a structured timeframe.
About the RJI Professional Innovation Fellowships 2026
The fellowship supports individuals and organisations with innovative project ideas that can advance the future of journalism. Each project must:
- Address a real need within newsrooms or communities.
- Produce a resource, tool, platform, or guide that is free, open, and accessible to the public.
- Be designed to improve journalistic processes, workflows, community engagement, or media literacy.
- Be completed and launched during the fellowship cycle.
All projects must be made open-source to ensure journalists and media organisations globally can adopt, adapt, and benefit from the outcomes.
What the Fellowship Offers
The RJI Professional Innovation Fellowships provide substantial support to help innovators bring their ideas to life. Key benefits include:
1. Competitive Stipend
The programme offers a stipend historically ranging from US $25,000 to US $100,000, depending on the project scope and fellowship category.
2. Flexible Fellowship Formats
Fellows may choose between:
- Remote Fellowship – allowing participants to complete the programme from any location.
- Residential Fellowship – based at the Reynolds Journalism Institute for deeper collaboration and engagement.
3. Publishing & Knowledge Sharing
Fellows are expected to publish articles or progress updates throughout the fellowship. These updates help share insights, learnings, tools, and methodologies with the wider journalism community.
Who Can Apply
Applications are open to both individuals and organisations working within journalism, media innovation, technology, storytelling, or community-centred news. While the programme is based in the United States, it accepts global applicants, provided their proposals align with the fellowship’s mission and can be delivered within the required timeline.
Application Timeline
- Applications Open: 1 December 2025
- Deadline for Submission: 6 February 2026
Applicants are encouraged to prepare well-structured proposals outlining their project goals, expected impact, timeline, and public benefit.
Types of Projects Supported
The RJI Professional Innovation Fellowships welcome a wide variety of innovation-driven ideas, including but not limited to:
- Digital newsroom tools (automation tools, AI-enabled systems, workflow enhancers).
- Media literacy or misinformation-focused guides.
- Toolkits or training resources for journalists and community reporters.
- Open-source platforms supporting collaborative journalism.
- Audience engagement tools that strengthen trust and participation.
Examples from previous cycles include SEO tools for newsrooms, bilingual misinformation guides, freelancing frameworks, trauma-informed reporting resources, and visual journalism toolkits.
What Applicants Should Prepare
A strong application should clearly outline:
- The problem your project aims to solve.
- Why the issue is important for journalism or communities.
- The proposed solution, including its features and open-source delivery.
- A realistic implementation plan for the fellowship period.
- The intended users and public benefit of your innovation.
Applicants working remotely should also include practical plans for collaboration, testing, and deployment.
Conclusion
The RJI Professional Innovation Fellowships 2026 present a powerful opportunity for innovators who are passionate about strengthening journalism and developing solutions that are accessible, impactful, and open to all. With funding, flexibility, and expert support, the programme is ideal for creators seeking to make a measurable difference in the global media landscape.
Application Links
(contact us for proposal drafting, refinning and review)
