Report for America announces more than 300 reporter positions for 2021; applications open until Jan. 31

Report for America announced more than 300 local reporter positions at more than 200 newsrooms across the nation for 2021. That's an increase of more than 100 positions and 64 newsrooms over last year. "The program also opened the application window for reporters to apply as corps members in 2021. Information about how to apply can be found here," Sam Kille reports for Report for America. "While Report for America is geared toward emerging journalists, it is also piloting a small “experienced corps” for 2021, with positions available for mid- to late-career journalists with eight or more years’ experience."

Here are a few of the positions with rural resonance:

• Southwest Times Record—Food insecurity around Fort Smith, Arkansas
• Granite State News Collaborative—Statehouse coverage for 20 New Hampshire newsrooms
• Bozeman Daily Chronicle—Photographer covering rural Montana
• Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting—Agribusiness and workers’ status in Illinois
• California News Deserts & Trust Initiative—five newsrooms, two foundations, fielding reporters in Butte, Kern, Madera, North Siskiyou, San Bernardino, Tulare, Yolo and Yuba counties

"Report for America, which is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, is a two-year program (with an option for three) that delivers a wide-range of benefits to its corps members. Beyond paying up to half of the journalists’ salaries, it provides ongoing training and mentorship by leading journalists, peer networking, and memberships to select professional organizations," Kille reports. "Applications are being accepted now until Jan. 31. Corps members will be selected from a highly-competitive, national competition. Last year, more than 1,800 applications were received. Those hired become employees of their respective newsrooms and will begin their employment June 1, 2021."

The brainchild of Steven Waldman, Report for America launched in 2017 and aims to place 1,000 journalists in local newsrooms by 2024. "It is supported in its efforts by a number of philanthropic leaders, including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Facebook Journalism Project, Natasha and Dirk Ziff, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Lumina Foundation, the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Heising-Simons Foundation, the Henry L. Kimelman Foundation, the Tow Foundation, the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation and more."