Report for America Corps Privacy Policy
Last Updated: February 13, 2026
Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how Report for America (“RFA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, shares, and protects the personal information of individuals who interact with our reporter corps program at any stage – whether when applying to the program, serving as corps members, or participating as an alumni.
Report for America operates a national service program that matches journalists with local newsrooms. Our program involves a progression of relationships:
- Applicants: Individuals who initiate an application to become a corps member
- Corps Members: Journalists hired through our program by local newsrooms
- Alumni: Former corps members who are no longer in the program
This policy describes how we handle information at each stage of this journey. By applying to or participating in Report for America, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this Privacy Policy.
Our Program Model
Understanding our program model helps explain why and how we use your information:
- Application Stage: We review applications and select finalists whose materials will be shared with participating newsrooms
- Placement Stage: Newsrooms review finalist applications and make hiring decisions; hired reporters become employees of the newsroom, not Report for America
- Corps Member Stage: We support, train, and track the progress of placed reporters while they serve at their newsrooms
- Alumni Stage: After completing the program, corps members join our alumni network for continued professional development and community
This means that if you are selected as a finalist, your application materials will be shared with newsrooms. This sharing is a core function of our program and by applying with us you expressly consent to this sharing.
What Information We Collect
The information we collect depends on your stage in our program:
For All Applicants
When you apply to become a corps member, we collect:
- Contact Information: Name, email address, phone number, mailing address
- Biographical Information: Demographic information, languages spoken
- Education History: Schools attended, degrees earned, graduation dates
- Employment History: Previous employers, job titles, dates of employment
- Work Samples: Published articles, clips, links to your published work
- References: Names and contact information for professional references
- Application Materials: Essay responses, statements of interest
- Geographic Preferences: Where you’re willing to work, beat interests, newsroom preferences
- Application Metadata: When you submitted your application, application status
For Corps Members (In Addition to Application Information)
Once you are accepted and placed, we additionally collect:
- Placement Information: Host newsroom name and location, position details, employment start date, salary, headshot photo
- Biographical Information: Hometown, date of birth, demographic information
- Program Participation Records: Attendance at training sessions, cohort meetings, and program events; completion of professional development activities
- Professional Development: Skills assessments, training feedback, mentorship records
- Work Products: Published articles and stories you produce during your tenure (links and metadata, not full text storage)
- Check-ins and Feedback: Regular communication with program staff, progress updates, any challenges or support needs
- Emergency Contact Information: For use in urgent situations during your placement
For Alumni (In Addition to Corps Member Information)
After you complete the program, we may collect:
- Post-Placement Career Information: Current employment, position, employer (voluntarily provided by you)
- Professional Achievements: Awards, major stories, career milestones you choose to share
- Alumni Engagement: Participation in alumni events, mentorship of current corps members, continued involvement with the program
- Long-Term Outcomes: Career trajectory information for program evaluation (voluntarily provided through surveys or interviews)
Important Note About Data Security
While we strive to protect your information using commercially reasonable measures, no system is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security against unauthorized access, and no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. If we become aware of a data breach affecting your information, we will notify you as required by law.
How We Use Your Information
For Applicants
We use applicant information to:
- Evaluate and process applications: Review qualifications, assess fit for the program, select finalists
- Share with participating newsrooms: Provide finalist applications to newsrooms for their hiring consideration and interviews
- Communicate about your application: Send status updates, request additional information, coordinate interviews
- Consider for future opportunities: Keep strong applications on file for future cohorts if not initially placed
- Program evaluation and improvement: Analyze application trends, evaluate recruitment effectiveness, identify areas for improvement
- Report to funders: Share aggregated statistics (e.g., “We received 500 applications from 45 states”) that cannot identify individuals
For Corps Members
We use corps member information to:
- Administer the program: Manage your enrollment, coordinate logistics, maintain accurate records
- Coordinate with your newsroom: Share necessary information with your host newsroom, facilitate communication, support your placement
- Provide training and support: Offer professional development opportunities, provide mentorship, connect you with resources
- Track progress and outcomes: Monitor your experience, identify support needs, measure program success
- Evaluate program effectiveness: Assess what’s working, identify improvements, demonstrate impact to funders
- Build community: Connect you with other corps members, facilitate peer learning and networking
- Verify participation: Confirm your program participation for future employment references or professional purposes
For Alumni
We use alumni information to:
- Maintain the alumni network: Keep you connected to the Report for America community
- Share opportunities: Notify you of job openings, professional development, networking events
- Facilitate connections: Connect alumni for mentorship, collaboration, and peer support
- Track long-term outcomes: Understand career trajectories and program impact over time
- Celebrate achievements: Recognize alumni accomplishments and share success stories (with permission)
- Engage in program improvement: Gather feedback from alumni to strengthen the program
- Demonstrate impact: Report long-term outcomes to funders to sustain and grow the program
How We Share Your Information
For Applicants
We share applicant information with:
Participating Newsrooms (if you are selected as a finalist): We share your complete application materials – including resume, work samples, essays, contact information, and reference letters – with newsrooms that have positions matching your interests and qualifications. Newsrooms use this information to evaluate candidates and make hiring decisions. The newsrooms have contractually agreed, via Report for America’s Host Newsroom Grant Agreement, to follow applicable privacy and employment laws and recordkeeping requirements..
Funders and Evaluators: We share information in aggregated or de-identified form for program evaluation and grant reporting (e.g., “X% of applicants had prior investigative reporting experience”). We will seek your explicit consent before sharing any identified information about you in case studies or reports.
Service Providers: We share information with third-party vendors who help operate the program (application platforms, email services, data storage) under confidentiality agreements that restrict their use of your information.
We Do NOT: Sell your personal information, share your application with other applicants, or publicly post your application materials without permission.
For Corps Members
We share corps member information with:
Your Host Newsroom: We share information necessary for coordinating your placement and employment, including contact information, program participation records, and relevant program communications.
Funders and Evaluators: We share aggregated or de-identified data for program evaluation and reporting. For identified information (such as case studies or testimonials), we always obtain your explicit, advance consent.
Other Corps Members: We share basic information (name, email, newsroom placement, geographic location) with other corps members in your cohort to facilitate networking and peer support.
Service Providers: We share information with vendors who support program operations (learning management systems, communication platforms, event management) under confidentiality agreements.
Public Sharing (With Your Permission Only): We will seek your explicit permission before publicly sharing identified information about you in promotional materials, success stories, annual reports, media features, or fundraising communications. You may revoke permission at any time.
For Alumni
We share alumni information with:
Other Alumni: We may include you in alumni directories or networks (with your consent) to facilitate connections and mentorship.
Funders and Evaluators: We share aggregated alumni outcome data for program evaluation and impact reporting.
Public Success Stories: Only with your explicit, advance permission for testimonials, case studies, or promotional materials.
Additional Disclosures
For all categories of individuals, we may also share personal information in the following circumstances:
Corporate Transactions: We may also share personal information in advance of and/or in connection with a merger, acquisition, sale of assets or similar transaction.
Legal Disclosures: We may also share information where we believe it is necessary in order to protect Report for America or others, defend against legal obligations, comply with law and legal obligations, enforce our agreements and similar purposes.
Important Note About Employment
You are employed by your host newsroom, not by Report for America. Your employment records maintained by the newsroom (payroll, benefits, personnel files, performance reviews) are subject to the newsroom’s privacy policies and employment laws, separate from the program records we maintain.
What We Never Do
- We do NOT sell your personal information to anyone
- We do NOT publicly identify you without your explicit permission
Opting Out of Alumni Communications
If you wish to be removed from our alumni mailing lists and stop receiving program communications, contact us at [email protected]. We will:
- Remove your contact information from alumni mailing lists and newsletters
- Stop sending program communications and event invitations
- Remove you from the RFA Hub app, which includes our directory
However, we will retain:
- Your program participation records (name, dates, newsroom placement, position details) for grant reporting, program verification, and historical records
- Career outcome information for program evaluation and funder reporting
- Your contact information in our database (but flagged as “do not contact”) in case you later wish to re-engage with the alumni network
Important: Opting out of communications does not delete your records from our system.
Your Privacy Rights
Rights for All Users
Regardless of where you live, you have the right to:
- Access your information: Request a copy of the personal information you submitted in your application.
- Correct your information: The right to correct applies to factual inaccuracies, not to revising essay responses or changing preferences stated in your application. You can request correction of factually inaccurate personal information, such as:
- Incorrect contact information
- Wrong employment or education dates
- Misspelled names or credentials
- Other factual errors in your records
- Withdraw or opt out: Remove yourself from consideration (applicants) or opt out of communications (alumni)
- Ask questions: Contact us about how we handle your information
Cookies and Website Tracking
Our website and application platform may use cookies and similar technologies to:
- Remember your login session and save draft applications
- Understand how visitors use our website
- Improve the application and user experience
- Measure the effectiveness of recruitment efforts
- Identify which channels bring applicants to our program
Third-Party Analytics: We may use services like Google Analytics, which collect information about your website usage. These services may track your activity across different websites over time.
Your Control: You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain website features.
Third-Party Links and Content
Your application or profile may include links to third-party websites (your portfolio, published articles, social media profiles). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites. If you link to content you control, you are responsible for the privacy settings on those platforms.
When you click links in our communications or on our website, you may be directed to third-party sites with their own privacy policies.
Children’s Privacy
Our program is designed for professional journalists. We do not knowingly collect information from individuals under 18 years of age. If we learn we have collected information from someone under 18, we will delete it promptly.
International Applicants and Participants
Report for America operates primarily in the United States. If you are accessing our program from outside the U.S.:
- Your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States
- U.S. data protection laws may differ from those in your country
- By applying or participating, you consent to this transfer and processing
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or program operations.
When we make changes:
- We will post the updated policy with a new “Last Updated” date
- For material changes, we may notify active applicants and corps members by email
Your continued participation in the application process or program after changes indicates your acceptance of the updated policy.
Questions, Concerns, and Contact Information
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, how we handle your information, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:
- Email: [email protected]
- Mail: Report for America / The GroundTruth Project
68 Harrison Ave Ste 605
PMB 46837
Boston, Massachusetts 02111-1929 USA
Thank you for your interest in Report for America. We are committed to protecting your privacy while operating a transparent, effective program that strengthens local journalism across the United States.