Ocean Reporting Network Fellowship 2027

Foundation / private collection · 1 program

• We want compelling, impactful, innovative and well-developed story ideas that can be followed over the course of a year - not just a one-off story, or coverage of a general topic.
• Experienced environmental journalists - freelancers or staff - working with local, regional or international media outlets, in online, print, radio and video format.
• Teams of journalists proposing cross-border collaborations.
• Dedicated team players who will devote a full year to their ocean investigation and publish regularly following a timeline decided together with the Pulitzer Center and their editors.
• The support of a newsroom and dedicated editor who will work with the Fellow over the course of a year, not just to publish their story, but in partnership.

Who Is Eligible to Apply?

• Experienced journalists with a proven track record of investigative or in-depth ocean or environmental reporting;
• Journalists with a solid understanding of ocean issues and the scientific, environmental, social, legal, political, and commercial forces at play — and why this issue matters to our global well-being;
• Staff or freelance journalists working on various platforms, including print, radio, video, and multimedia. Freelance reporters must have the support of a local or international newsroom that agrees to host them and publish the work they produce during the Fellowship;
• Team players with the experience and ability to work collaboratively across newsrooms and borders, and the willingness to learn new skills;
• Reporters who are motivated to participate in outreach activities related to their investigations, such as meetings in communities or visits to schools and universities.

To Apply, You Will Be Asked to Provide the Following

• A copy of your résumé or curriculum vitae.
• A description of the investigative or in-depth reporting project you seek to pursue during your fellowship (800 words).
• A plan for how your project will be published and distributed, which audiences you want to reach and how you will engage them (500 words).
• A statement of purpose: How does this fellowship fit in with your career path and why you are best positioned to be a Ocean Reporting Network Fellow (500 words).
• A letter of support from your media employer or a newsroom that has agreed to host you. This must indicate that there is a level of understanding of the project and partnership.
• Three examples of your most impactful investigations published in the past 3-5 years.
• Contact details for three professional references.
• Applicants must have a valid passport for the entirety of 2027.

Deadline and Timeline

Applications for the Fellowships will open on Monday August 24 2026, and close on Friday September 13, 2026, at 11:59pm EDT.

Shortlisted candidates can expect to be interviewed in October 2026 and start the 12-month Fellowship in January 2027.

We encourage applications in English, but we accept materials in other languages if needed.

A reminder on the use of AI

Proposals submitted to the Pulitzer Center are evaluated in part on the applicant's ability to articulate their own ideas — their story concept, their editorial judgment, and their voice as a journalist. We have observed that proposals generated or substantially drafted using large language model (LLM) tools tend to produce fluent but generic prose: flattened language, lack of specificity, and factual errors. These are qualities that work against a strong application and are quickly spotted by our experienced editors. Translation assistance, light proofreading, and writing support are uses we consider compatible with the integrity of the application. LLM-generated substance is not.

We encourage proposals from journalists and newsrooms that represent a broad array of social, racial, ethnic, and underrepresented groups, and economic backgrounds.

Please note that selected candidates will work remotely.

We use Submittable to accept and review our submissions.