2025 MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowships

The MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowship supports freelance and staff journalists associated with U.S. local/regional newsrooms in developing a high-impact news project that reports on how climate change and/or the shift to a low-carbon economy relates to local communities and regions, in a way that centers local messengers, values, and priorities. Donor Name: Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) State: All States County: All Counties Type of Grant: Fellowship Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 10/14/2024 Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000 Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned Details: Studies show that localizing climate change impacts and actions is an effective way to engage audiences in climate solutions. Yet today, climate journalism is primarily limited to national news outlets. This fellowship helps provide Americans—especially those living in areas where climate change is controversial or underreported—with well-researched reporting on what a shift to a low-carbon economy can mean for them, their communities, and their local economies. The fellowship supports projects that: Relate climate change, the shift to a low-carbon economy, and/or climate solutions within food and waste systems to their audience’s existing priorities and values; Focus on the newsroom’s home county(ies) or state; Feature lived experience and local perspectives and voices; Clearly indicate the applicant deeply understands their audience and local concerns; Are investigative or explanatory; Produce a longform feature or a series of a minimum of 4 shorter pieces; Will open local conversations about climate change solutions and empower their audience in engaging with this issue; and Have received a commitment from a local/regional news outlet to publish the feature. Funding Information Stipends of $10,000 plus up to $5,000 for qualified expenses. Eligibility Criteria Newsrooms can include newspapers, news magazines, broadcast stations, digital news outlets, and investigative journalism organizations. Writers employed by or writing for think tanks, lobbying groups, or advocacy groups are not eligible. MIT welcomes applications from staff writers of U.S. newsrooms, or freelance journalists in association with a sponsoring newsroom, who want to tackle an ambitious project. In 2025, MIT is only accepting applicants who are U.S. citizens currently living in the U.S. and its territories. For more information, visit MIT.