TJA Reporting Fellowship
The Trans Journalists Association’s Reporting Fellowship directly invests in accurate, nuanced coverage of trans rights and communities. In its inaugural year, seven journalists will be selected as fellows to pursue innovative, timely, and mission-aligned reporting projects. Each fellow will receive mentorship, professional development, and a stipend to support their efforts.
Freelancers, staff journalists, and independent creators are all eligible to apply. See additional applicant eligibility info below.
We are looking for applications that are aligned with TJA's mission to promote quality coverage of trans communities, which includes stories in myriad formats and across varied beats. We are interested in applications that are not simply one-off stories, and can be published within the fellowship’s six-month duration.
The application opens January 15 and closes February 20, 2026.
This fellowship is made possible through the support of The Burton Finck Family Foundation.
About the fellowship
What this fellowship offers
In the fellowship’s first year, seven fellows will be selected to receive support in the pursuit of innovative, timely, and mission-aligned reporting projects within a six-month period, starting in March. The cohort will receive mentorship and participate in virtual professional development sessions.
Each fellow will receive a $5,000 stipend to support reporting costs, and attend an in-person event at the end of the fellowship (travel, lodging covered).
What we ask of fellows
After submitting proper payment documentation and contractual agreements, fellows are expected to attend a virtual orientation meeting in late March. Following orientation, fellows agree to meet with the fellowship’s reporting mentor on a monthly basis to discuss their project and/or career development. Fellows are responsible for submitting periodic status updates, publication notifications, and programmatic reflections to the TJA, as requested.
All reporting projects are expected to be published in or by a news media outlet before the fellowship ends in September. While publishing entities retain full editorial control, work published through the fellowship must include credit of TJA’s partnership.
In addition to attending an in-person event at the end of the fellowship (September/October), fellows will be required to submit feedback forms.
Who is eligible to apply
Any U.S.-based journalist who is eligible for a TJA membership can apply. Generally, that means anyone whose work — either full-time, part-time, or on an independent/freelance basis — contributes to the creation of news and media products for an editorially independent publication. This can include audio journalists, broadcast reporters, and photographers among others. You can also apply if you are a student working towards becoming a journalist in some capacity.
Eligible applicants believe in the TJA’s mission to promote more accurate, nuanced coverage of trans rights and communities in the media and support gender-expansive journalists in their workplaces and careers.
We’d love to see applications from current TJA members and journalists from historically underrepresented communities in journalism and media. That includes but is not limited to trans and gender-expansive people of all genders, queer folks, disabled individuals, and people of color. Journalists from local, regional, and under-resourced news organizations and early-career professionals are encouraged to apply.
Learn more about becoming a TJA member here. It’s free (with a donation encouraged) and open to journalists of all identities.
About the application process
Each application requires:
- A resume/CV and/or a college transcript (for students)
- Work Samples
- A reporting project pitch
- Short answer responses
Each applicant must submit a reporting project pitch as part of their application. In fewer than 250 words, tell us about your idea and the angle you are pursuing. Be sure to include information about any pre-reporting you’ve done, relevant access opportunities, etc.
Successful reporting project pitches will be ones that aren’t simply surface-level stories. Pitches should require in-depth, extended, and multi-sourced reporting over a period of time not to exceed six months.
We encourage, but are not limited to, project pitches about undercovered aspects of trans life and others that fall into one of the following categories:
- Data, including using TJA resources like the Trans News Initiative
- Investigations, including those informed by our public records database
- Solutions journalism
- Culture and entertainment reporting
- Environmental or science reporting
- Misinformation and the political moment
Applicants are asked to detail how their pitch is innovative, timely, or otherwise aligned with TJA’s mission and how fellowship funds will be used.
Applicants on staff at or contracted with a news publishing outlet are required to submit a letter of support from an editor or other manager. Other applicants are encouraged to submit documentation (on organizational letterhead) reflecting any expressed interests or commitments to publish from an editor or publication. Applications can be submitted without having identified a publishing partner.
What happens after you apply
Once the application period closes, all applications received will be reviewed. Every applicant will receive a determination notification within a month of the application deadline.
Application opens: January 15, 2026
Application closes: February 20, 2026
Fellows notified by: March 20, 2026
The fellowship application process may include brief phone or video interviews for select applicants. You will be notified via the email on your application.
Frequently asked questions
What are some examples of eligible reporting project pitches?
As this is our inaugural Reporting Fellowship, we do not have prior samples to show. However, we are looking to support stories that contribute to the accurate, nuanced coverage of trans rights and communities. Consider using TJA resources like the Trans News Initiative or our public records database to help you ideate and develop a pitch.
Successful reporting project pitches will be ones that aren’t simply surface-level stories. Pitches should require in-depth, extended, and multi-sourced reporting over a period of time not to exceed six months.
We encourage, but are not limited to, project pitches about undercovered aspects of trans life and others that fall into one of the following categories:
- Data, including using TJA resources like the Trans News Initiative
- Investigations, including those informed by our public records database
- Solutions journalism
- Culture and entertainment reporting
- Environmental or science reporting
- Misinformation and the political moment
Pitching a series is acceptable.
Through a different program, the TJA has supported the following works:
I have a reporting project I’m already working on. Can I submit that?
Yes, but pitches to support pre-existing projects should detail why more time and investment is needed at this stage.
Can I submit more than one application or more than one pitch?
No. Multiple applications and pitches will not be accepted or reviewed. Choose the pitch you're most passionate about or the one that could benefit the most from guidance from the fellowship reporting mentor and/or the TJA staff.
What happens with my reporting pitch if I don't get the fellowship?
Reporting pitches will only be reviewed as part of applications for the fellowship. We encourage applicants who are not accepted into the fellowship to pursue their reporting pitches.
Can newsrooms apply?
No. Applications should come directly from individual journalists and include their newsroom affiliation(s), if any.
Can I pitch a project with a collaborator?
Yes. While applicants can be part of and pitch joint projects that involve a collaborator or team of collaborators, be sure to detail in your application how the project’s responsibilities are shared. We do not accept applications from groups or collectives.
What should be included in a letter of support?
A letter of support should be written on the publication’s letterhead and signed by an editor or manager. It should express the publication’s support of your participation in the fellowship and provide a commitment to publish/air your work upon completion, ideally in front of a paywall.
What is a reporting mentor? Who will it be?
The fellowship reporting mentor will be an experienced journalist who’ll serve as a resource for fellows throughout the fellowship. They will meet monthly and provide direct support, including editorial thought partnership, career guidance, and other professional development.
I don't live in the U.S. Am I still eligible to participate?
Unfortunately, the first year of our fellowship is only for journalists based in the United States.
How do you decide who will be selected as a fellow?
The TJA staff reviews all applications. We look for applications from journalists whose work and journalistic vocation exemplify the TJA mission. We have a judging rubric that will be used to evaluate applications. The fellowship application process may include a brief phone or video interview. You will be notified via the email on your application.
I’m a freelancer and don’t know where my pitch will be published. Can I still apply?
Yes. In lieu of submitting a letter of interest from a publication, the application will allow you to share desired or target outlets. If accepted, the fellowship’s reporting mentor and the TJA will provide pitching and placing support.
How is the fellowship stipend disbursed?
Each fellow’s $5,000 stipend will be split into three payments throughout the fellowship: on acceptance, on publication, and at fellowship’s end. The stipend is meant to offset reporting costs, which can include but are not limited to travel and supplies, or to cover reporting time and effort. The fellowship stipend, which is taxable income, does not replace the compensation we expect outlets to pay fellows for their reporting, though it may complement.
For fellows on staff at an outlet, funds may be disbursed directly to the outlet.
I’d like to work with a fiscal sponsor. Is that possible?
Yes. Provide as much detail about the sponsor and your affiliation with them in your application.
When you say published works must include a credit to the TJA, what do you mean?
While publishing entities retain full editorial control, work published through the fellowship must include credit of the TJA’s partnership. The credit should appear up top on the first page/landing page for a print or digital story and should be delivered on-air in the host's introduction for broadcast stories, radio pieces, podcasts, and videos. For projects of significant scope, our logo should also be included.
Proper crediting language: "This story/series was produced with support from the Trans Journalists Association.” OR "This story/series was supported by the Trans Journalists Association."
Applicants are encouraged to inform their editor or publishing outlet of our credit requirements during the pitch process.
What if the outlet I want to work with doesn’t want to include a credit to the TJA?
Crediting the TJA for its support is required for all outlets publishing work connected to this fellowship. Fellows will be supported in pitching and placing their work with consenting outlets.
What should I know about the in-person event at the end of the fellowship?
All fellows are expected to attend an in-person event to celebrate the end of the fellowship. The TJA will cover all costs associated, including travel and lodging. Fellows will be notified during orientation of the date and location.
How is this fellowship funded?
The inaugural year of our reporting fellowship is made possible thanks to The Burton Finck Family Foundation.
The TJA and our programs are otherwise supported by sponsors, philanthropic grants, and individual donors. Our funders have no influence on the participant selection or judging process. Learn more about our independence and fundraising policies.
You can support this program by donating to us directly. If you’d like to sponsor current or future rounds of our reporting fellowship, get in contact with us.
If you have any additional questions that we didn’t cover here, please reach out!
