Apply for the John Alexander Project Fellowship Program (US)

The fellowship strives to discover journalists who are at pivotal moments in their careers: those who are armed with the skills to independently tell character-driven, sound-rich stories that take audiences off the beaten path.

Benefits

• The amount of the fellowship award varies per project, and is designed to cover all production and living expenses for the duration, including prep and post time at NPR in Washington, DC.

Duration

• Fellowship timing varies, but fellows typically spend about two months in the field, with additional time prepping and editing at NPR in Washington, DC. The total duration tends to be in the 5-6 month-range.

Eligibility Criteria

• The fellowship is intended for US journalists. Applicants must be authorized to work in the US. All applicants must also be fluent in English, and all work samples must be in English.
• The fellowship is targeted for journalists early in their careers. Those with at least five but no more than seven years of experience are eligible to apply.

Application Requirements

• Resume
• Letter: Why you? Why now? (300-500 words): Introduce yourself. They will be sending you solo to a foreign country. What should convince them the fellowship is safe with you? Why are you suited for this challenge now, at this point in your life?
• Long Answer: The Pitch (700-1000 words): Sell them on a story idea based in a foreign region not regularly covered by NPR. Provide details about possible story lines, characters and how you would cover the story on the radio and online. You will have three months to develop and tell this story, so make it good. The world is literally your oyster.
• Short Answer: Wild Card (100-400 words): What else should they know about you? Surprise them.
• Short Answer: Two Work Samples (50-200 words each): Provide links to two of your favorite on-air radio reporting samples and context for each, including any challenges you may have faced along the way. Please be sure to check that your links work.
• References (50-200 words each): Provide contact information for two professional references: name, title, email and telephone. Tell them why these individuals have been important to you. Please put your references on alert that they may be contacting them early May for response by mid-May.
• Work samples must be audio pieces. Writing samples will not be accepted.
• Work samples must be reporting clips that feature your voice; pieces that you have produced or that are non-narrated will not be accepted.
• Work samples serve to demonstrate your ability to report an NPR-caliber radio story, so your reporting clips should be published pieces.
• All work samples must be in English.

For more information, visit The John Alexander Project.