If you are an underrepresented early-career journalist passionate about environmental issues and looking to make a meaningful impact through storytelling, applications for The Uproot Project 2025 Fellowship are now open. This fellowship offers funding and support for seven journalists to pursue in-depth reporting on environmental issues over the course of one year. Fellows will focus on stories related to critical environmental topics such as environmental justice, climate solutions, water, food, and culture, and science, with the aim to amplify underrepresented perspectives in the field. Details in this article.
Program Summary
Location: Flexible (projects can take place anywhere)
Target Group: Early-career journalists, including freelancers, recent graduates, and scientists with a strong interest in environmental and climate reporting
Areas of Focus: Environmental justice, climate solutions, water, food, & culture, and science
Educational Background: Not specified
Funding: Up to $2,000 to cover reporting expenses (travel, translation, records access, etc.)
Duration: 1 year
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025
Start Date: Flexible
Program Overview
The Uproot Project Fellowship is designed to support early-career journalists by providing funding and editorial assistance to produce high-impact environmental journalism. Fellows will be expected to produce a project in one of the four categories:
Environmental justice
Climate solutions
Water, food & culture, or
Science.
The fellowship is flexible in terms of reporting medium, allowing projects in writing, audio, video, photography, or a combination of formats. Fellows are encouraged to explore both local and global environmental stories.
The fellowship includes a six-month progress report and a final summary upon completion of the project. The project should focus on topics that are underreported or misunderstood in mainstream media, particularly those that highlight the intersection between environmental issues and social inequalities.
Program Structure and Activities
Selection: Seven fellows are selected based on the quality and relevance of their reporting proposals.
Reporting: Fellows will conduct in-depth research and reporting in one of the four designated environmental categories.
Support: Fellows will receive guidance and editorial assistance from The Uproot Project to place their stories with a media outlet, if desired.
Progress Reporting: Mid-term check-in with a progress report, followed by a final summary of the experience.
Program Benefits
Funding: Up to $2,000 to cover reporting-related expenses such as travel, research, and data analysis.
Editorial Support: Assistance in placing stories with media outlets and improving the quality of reporting.
Travel Allowance: Funding for travel expenses required for the completion of the reporting project.
Training: Opportunity to develop journalistic skills in the climate and environmental reporting field.
Community: Join a network of underrepresented journalists dedicated to environmental storytelling.
Journalists Categories
Applicants should be early-career journalists, which may include:
Journalists who are new to the environmental/climate beat
Freelancers without full-time newsroom experience
Recent journalism graduates
Scientists with strong writing skills and a desire to contribute to journalism
Eligibility Criteria
Must be a member of The Uproot Project (free membership available).
Applicants must have a proposed project that aligns with one of the four key environmental themes.
The fellowship is open to individuals from all geographic regions.
Belong to one of the categories in the section above.
Application Procedure
To apply for the Uproot Project Fellowship, applicants must submit the following:
1. A completed application form, including:
A description of the reporting project and its alignment with one of the four categories
An explanation of why the project is important and how it will shed light on an underreported environmental issue
A project timeline and information about the proposed media outlet for publication (if applicable)
A personal connection to the story or community (if any)
A summary of the applicant's prior experience in environmental reporting
The applicant’s expected funding needs and use of the fellowship funds
2. Required documents:
A current resume (PDF format)
A proposed project budget (in USD, PDF or spreadsheet format)
🗓️ Applications Deadline: March 1, 2025.
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