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The application window for the Local Investigations Fellowship is currently closed and will reopen on July 1, 2026.
Cover Letters for the Local Investigations Fellowship include at least one story idea or pitch, but multiple may be sent in each cover letter. Answers to these questions help us assess where you are in the reporting process and what editorial support and resources the local investigative fellowship could offer you.
We appreciate proposals that are as detailed as possible. Previous successful applicants have included specifics about what they aimed to prove through their investigations.
For example, a reporter for The Baltimore Banner had reason to believe that the city’s overdose crisis was the worst in the nation. Mississippi Today had evidence of abuses in local sheriffs offices. And a reporter for The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, Calif., suspected a pattern of deaths inside local jails.
Please submit five published clips that show excellence — in evocative writing, through high-impact news stories and by highlighting the voices of local communities. Your clips should be uploaded to the additional materials question below. Please include the full text of your clips, not just the links.
What makes a good local investigation?
The New York Times Company is committed to being the world’s best source of independent, reliable and quality journalism. To do so, we embrace a diverse workforce that has a broad range of backgrounds and experiences across our ranks, at all levels of the organization. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.
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