ProPublica announced today that it is accepting applications for 15 new partnerships through its Local Reporting Network, the nonprofit investigative newsroom’s flagship program supporting in-depth reporting in communities across the United States.

More information about how to apply and the application for prospective newsrooms has just been posted. Reporters, with the support of their editors, will apply with a proposal for a yearlong investigation that has both local urgency and national resonance. The program will select reporters across three cohorts in 2026, with applications reviewed on a rolling basis and deadlines in February, May and July. Five partnerships will be awarded for each round. (Eligibility will vary.)

The Local Reporting Network program helps remove financial barriers that can prevent newsrooms from pursuing time-intensive investigations. ProPublica reimburses news organizations for a reporter’s salary (up to $80,000, plus a benefits stipend), freeing them to dedicate a full year to a specific accountability journalism project that matters to their community. Participating reporters work from their home newsrooms while receiving guidance from a senior ProPublica editor and tapping into the nonprofit’s deep bench of expertise in data analysis, research, visual storytelling, graphics, design, audience engagement and more. 

Local Reporting Network investigations have changed laws, spurred government action and held institutions accountable. Reporting with The Connecticut Mirror on car towing practices sparked an overhaul of century-old laws that favored tow companies at the expense of low-income residents. In Alaska, after reporting with the Anchorage Daily News revealed that prosecutors were dropping hundreds of misdemeanor cases due to short staffing, the city’s mayor announced it had hired a full roster of attorneys to address the problem. And in Tennessee, ProPublica and WPLN reporting on the state’s lax gun dispossession laws prompted judges in at least nine counties to demand greater accountability from people ordered to give up their firearms in domestic violence cases.

“It is a privilege to work with newsrooms, bringing the power of accountability to critical local issues,” said Sarah Blustain, ProPublica’s assistant managing editor for local. “We are eager to talk with newsrooms around the country about their proposals, and to dive in with them to take on some of the biggest issues their communities face.”

Since its founding in 2018, the Local Reporting Network has grown into one of ProPublica’s most impactful programs, supporting journalists in communities nationwide with editorial guidance and investigative resources. In 2024, ProPublica launched the 50 State Initiative, a commitment to support yearlong projects in every state by 2029; it also inaugurated the Sustainability Desk, which allows the organization to work with former partners in more flexible ways after their official partnership has ended.

Applications will be read on a rolling basis but there are three deadlines to keep in mind: 

  • Spring cohort: Feb. 5, 2026
  • Summer cohort (50 State Initiative): May 1, 2026 
  • Fall cohort (50 State Initiative): Aug. 3, 2026 

ProPublica reporters and editors are available to answer questions or to provide feedback on applications before submission. Interested applicants can apply via this link or reach the team at [email protected].