Rainforest Investigations Network

The Pulitzer Center is now accepting applications for its fifth cohort of the Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN).

he Rainforest Investigations Network Fellowship fosters collaboration among journalists to investigate the financial incentives, illegal activities, and global supply chains driving industrial-scale deforestation. RIN Fellows will pursue both individual and joint investigative projects, examining the root causes and structural drivers of deforestation across the three main tropical rainforest regions: the Amazon, the Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia.

What they are looking for

• They are seeking seasoned investigative journalists—whether they are on staff or working with a host outlet as a freelancer—who are from the tropical rainforest regions or focus on these regions in their reporting. They also accept collaborations with local and global media outlets.
• This is a full-time, yearlong fellowship that provides financial support, covering the reporter’s salary (or part of it, depending on variables such as location and experience). Additional support will be provided to the journalist’s reporting expenses, such as travel and hiring of consultants.
• They are particularly interested in investigative projects that take a cross-border approach, connecting local drivers of forest destruction with global supply chains. They will work closely with selected Fellows to connect them with potential partners within the network.
• They also have three places in the cohort reserved for investigations focused on transparency and governance. These projects should prioritise themes and issues that shed light on financial mechanisms and legal loopholes behind unsustainable supply chains.

Focus Areas

• Investigations into financial enablers and the accountability of financiers in environmental destruction.
• Corruption in public procurement related to deforestation or unsustainable development.

Eligibility

The Rainforest Investigations Network Fellowship is open to:

• Experienced investigative journalists with a proven track record covering the Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia regions.
• Reporters based in countries outside the three main tropical rainforest regions—Amazon, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asia—may also apply but will need to focus their reporting during the fellowship on stories related to these regions.
• Staff or freelance journalists working on a wide range of platforms, including print, radio, video, and multimedia. Freelance reporters will need to have the support of a local or international newsroom that agrees to host them and publish the work they produce during the fellowship.
• Team players with the experience and/or ability to work collaboratively across newsrooms and borders.
• Reporters with a deep understanding of the scientific, environmental, social, legal, political, and commercial forces at play in deforestation and forest degradation around the world—and why this issue matters to our global well-being.
• Reporters willing to participate in outreach activities related to their investigations, such as meetings in communities and visits to schools and universities.

How to apply

The application deadline for this fellowship is December 31, 2024. To learn more and apply, please click here.