Propublica announced a new call on Wednesday for a proposal to select the next five partners on its local reporting network: These newsrooms will be selected as part of the organization’s 50 state initiative, which is committed to partnering with one newsroom in each state by 2029. The application deadline is east on July 21st at 5pm. Reporters selected for the one-year programme will begin work on October 1, 2025.
Through this partnership, Propublica will reimburse news organizations for the salaries of selected reporters (up to $75,000 plus a scholarship for benefits). Additionally, ProPublica offers editorial support along with expertise in data, research, visual storytelling, graphics, design, audience and engagement.
Details regarding how to apply and future newsroom applications have been posted. Newsrooms in 35 states are eligible to apply for this round. See the Eligibility Map for more information.
As part of the 50 state initiative, Propublica is currently working with the newsrooms of the first 10 states. Five more newsrooms will begin in July. Reports with Connecticut Mirror about towing cars in the state have sparked legislative reforms to overhaul a century-old towing law that supports towing companies at the expense of drivers. Georgia has documented the lack of Medicaid labor requirements for states, which are announced as a model for other parts of the country, cost millions. In Tennessee, one company has sought over 100,000 borrowers, indicating that it has significantly expanded its use of unique, high-profit loans.
“We’re committed to providing a great opportunity to help you,” said Sarah Blustain, Assistant Managing Editor at ProPublica. “Each additional condition allows us to bring urgent local issues to our readers around the country.”
The 50 state initiative expands the scope of Propublica’s work at the local and regional level. This includes a growth team of journalists reporting from communities across the country, and includes groundbreaking partnerships with local news organizations through the LRN program.
The initiative will broaden support for local journalism. This includes the LRN along with dedicated reporting hubs in the Midwest, South, Southwest and Northwest, as well as Texas research forces in partnership with the Texas Tribune. Propublica has more than 25 staff reporters and more than 20 reporting partnerships across the country that contribute to local and local accountability reports, allowing people to benefit from world-class journalism that can drive measurable change in their communities.
The LRN began in January 2018 to help remedy the lack of research reporting at the local level. It has since led to partnerships with around 80 news organizations across the country.
