A Call to Serve

Report for America is a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues and communities.

As a Report for America journalist, you’ll join a movement to strengthen communities—and democracy—through local journalism that is truthful, fearless, fair and smart.

Our unique model pairs the skills and passion of early career reporters, photographers and videographers with local news organizations across the country.

Interested in Becoming a Report for America corps member?

Join the Movement

Since launching in 2017, Report for America has placed more than 600 journalists in hundreds of local newsrooms. Corps members are talented, service-oriented journalists who serve in under-covered areas, providing citizens with the information they need to improve their communities and hold powerful institutions accountable.

Benefits of Becoming a Corps Member

Report for America supports your growth and development as a journalist. Our corps members receive excellent mentorship and training through Report for America and our partner newsrooms, helping them develop into experienced reporters.  

Significant Beats

Report for America corps members cover a variety of beats, including healthcare, energy, statehouse, climate, education, city hall, local business, communities of color, photography and more.  

Training and Mentorship

Report for America offers more than 70 training sessions per year from rock-star journalists and other experts, helping corps members sharpen their skills. We also pair you with a national mentor at the top of their game.

Reporting with Real Impact

Despite a California law requiring expanded lead testing for the first time at child care centers, thousands of facilities remain untested, potentially putting the health of children across the state at risk. Corps members Andrea Figueroa Briseño and Crystal Niebla developed a database to help Californians understand the areas that had yet to test.

Crystal Niebla, Andrea Figueroa Briseño

Report for America corps members
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For seven months, people who used public transportation in Lincoln, Nebraska, weren’t able to get evening rides. These service cuts affected all public transit users in Nebraska’s capital city, but it especially interfered with and affected the independence of people with disabilities. After Bonderson’s reporting, Lincoln’s public transit resumed full service.

Aaron Bonderson

Report for America corps member
Nebraska Public Media

All-Around Support

As a corps member, you’re part of a robust peer network of fellow corps members who are covering similar beats and living in nearby towns. In addition, corps members are paired with Report for America’s regional managers—deeply experienced, award-winning journalists—who are assigned to support every corps member and partner newsroom. 

Community Service

Corps members volunteer their time on a student journalism or youth media project. The goal is to support the media literacy of young people by helping them produce stories about the world around them.

Springboard to Career Success

Report for America graduates get hired by their newsrooms or by other regional, national and international outlets. As corps members, they win dozens of state, regional and national awards.

Virtual Information Sessions

Meet the Report for America recruitment team, and ask questions. Register here. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The Report for America team looks for journalists who will do great work, can overcome challenges, solve problems and be an asset to their community and newsroom.  Corps members selected are typically emerging journalists with one to three years experience and have a strong commitment to public service.  In the application we look for:

  • Concrete evidence that the applicant can do journalism
  • Demonstrated passion for writing and reporting
  • A minimum of one completed professional internship
  • For college graduates, preference will be given to those who were editor-in-chief or managing editor of their college newspaper and who completed a minimum of one professional internship
  • A minimum of five (5) published clips that can show range and depth of work
  • An in-depth writing sample 
  • Two strong recommendations supporting the candidacy of the applicant

You will work for a local news organization that has competed for the right to host you. Isn’t that flattering? They might be a public radio station, a newspaper, a TV station, a website — really any high-quality local news organization that can put you to great use. 

Corps applications for the 2024 cycle will open December of 2023 and close the end of January 2024.

The salary is set by the local newsroom, and is equivalent to that of a reporter in your region with your experience level. As a result, salaries will vary, but the current median salary for a Report for America corps member is $46,000. 

You do get to express preferences, though we don’t guarantee you’ll get your top picks. You can also select “send me where I’m most needed.”

Can’t make an information session, or still have questions? Sign up for updates, or reach out to the recruitment team at [email protected].

If you know someone who would be interested in becoming a corps member, fill out the referral form.