The RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship 2027 is now one of the most interesting journalism fellowship opportunities for people who want to use technology, innovation and practical ideas to solve problems facing journalists and newsrooms.
Run by the Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI) at the University of Missouri, the fellowship supports individuals and organisations that want to develop practical resources for community-centered journalism.
For the 2027 fellowship cycle, applications will open on November 2, 2026, and the first-round application deadline is January 8, 2027. Selected fellows will begin the eight-month program on June 28, 2027.
The most attractive part is the funding: the Individual and Institutional Fellowships provide $75,000, while the Emerging Technology Fellowship provides $100,000.
RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship 2027 – Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
| Fellowship | RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship |
| Host | Reynolds Journalism Institute, University of Missouri |
| Location | Remote with limited visits to RJI |
| Fellowship duration | 8 months |
| Application opens | November 2, 2026 |
| Deadline | January 8, 2027 |
| Start date | June 28, 2027 |
| Individual stipend | $75,000 |
| Institutional stipend | $75,000 |
| Emerging Technology stipend | $100,000 |
| Who can apply? | Individuals and organizations |
| International applicants | Yes |
| Degree required? | No specific degree requirement |
| Application rounds | Two |
| Finalist interviews | April 5–23, 2027 |
| Official application | RJI Professional Innovation Fellowships – Apply |
What Is the RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship?
The RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship is an eight-month program designed to help people develop practical and innovative solutions for journalism.
Rather than simply funding someone to study journalism, RJI expects fellows to actually build, test and launch a useful resource during the fellowship.
The final product could be a:
- Journalism tool
- Technology platform
- Digital resource
- Workshop
- Program
- Product
- Newsroom resource
- Emerging technology solution
The finished resource must be made available to journalists and newsrooms for free. RJI says fellowship projects must be free, accessible and open-source for journalists, newsrooms and the public.
This makes the fellowship particularly attractive to journalists, researchers, consultants, developers and innovators who have identified a real problem in the news industry and have an idea for solving it.
Who Can Apply for the RJI Fellowship 2027?
One of the unusual features of this fellowship is its flexible eligibility requirements.
RJI states that applicants do not have to be a certain age, have a particular background or even be a journalist.
Applicants can be located anywhere in the world.
This means the fellowship can potentially suit:
- Journalists
- Freelance journalists
- Journalism consultants
- Researchers
- Technology professionals
- Product builders
- Media innovators
- Newsroom employees
- Independent innovators
- People with journalism-related ideas
The most important factor is not simply your job title. Your proposed project needs to address a meaningful need, gap or challenge in journalism and be realistic enough to build and launch during the eight-month fellowship.
RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship 2027 Benefits
The fellowship provides substantial financial support.
$75,000 Individual Fellowship
The Individual Fellowship provides a $75,000 stipend, paid directly to the fellow in three payments based on completion of project deliverables.
This track is designed for individuals who want to build a resource, tool, program or product addressing a current journalism challenge.
You can already have a full-time job or freelance business while pursuing the project.
$75,000 Institutional Fellowship
The Institutional Fellowship also provides $75,000.
In this model, a fellow works with an organisation to develop a resource, tool, product or program that addresses a specific need but can also benefit other journalists and organizations.
The funding can go to the organization or the fellow, depending on the arrangement.
$100,000 Emerging Technology Fellowship
The Emerging Technology Fellowship provides the largest award: $100,000.
This track is intended for projects where emerging technology is central to solving a journalism problem.
RJI explains that the proposed solution should not be something that could simply be created without the emerging technology being used.
For the 2027 cycle, this means applicants with strong ideas involving technologies such as AI and other emerging tools may find this track particularly relevant.
What Does the RJI Fellow Actually Do?
This is not a fellowship where you receive funding and simply write a report.
RJI expects fellows to take their idea from concept to a publicly usable resource.
During the fellowship, fellows are expected to:
- Develop their project.
- Build the resource, tool or platform.
- Test it.
- Collect feedback.
- Improve the product.
- Prepare it for public launch.
- Share what they learn.
- Make the final resource available to journalists and newsrooms.
RJI also expects public-facing work such as articles, webinars, branding and other materials that help journalists understand and use the resulting resource.
The final deliverable must be something journalists and newsrooms can actually use.
Examples of Projects RJI Supports
The 2026–2027 RJI fellows provide a useful picture of the type of innovation the institute is interested in.
Current fellows are developing projects involving:
- AI-powered newsroom tools
- Civic participation
- Shared journalism infrastructure
- Investigative reporting support
- Audience intelligence
- Digital publishing
- Community journalism
For example, one project is developing an AI-powered platform designed to help local newsrooms connect journalism with civic participation, while another is developing Newsroom Radar, an AI-powered audience intelligence system.
This demonstrates that RJI is interested in practical innovation, rather than technology for its own sake.
Is the RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship Fully Funded?
The RJI fellowship provides a substantial stipend, but applicants should understand what the funding actually represents.
The $75,000 Individual Fellowship stipend and $100,000 Emerging Technology Fellowship stipend are paid according to project deliverables.
The fellowship is remote, with several visits to RJI. RJI states that it covers the cost of those trips.
Therefore, it is more accurate to describe the program as a paid, funded innovation fellowship rather than simply calling it a traditional fully funded scholarship.
Is the RJI Fellowship Open to International Applicants?
Yes.
This is one of the strongest features for international applicants.
RJI specifically states that you do not have to live in the United States to apply and that applicants can be located anywhere.
The fellowship is also remote, although fellows are expected to travel to RJI for a few activities, with those trips covered by the program.
This makes the RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship particularly interesting for journalism innovators outside the United States.
However, applicants should make sure their proposed project will have meaningful usefulness for journalists and newsrooms beyond a single local market.
RJI says projects intended only for one state or city are unlikely to receive funding, while projects that can be used nationally—and ideally globally—are encouraged.
RJI Fellowship 2027 Application Deadline
The confirmed first-round application deadline is: January 8, 2027
Applications for the 2027 RJI Professional Innovation Fellowships open on: November 2, 2026
The fellowship begins: June 28, 2027
The current application timeline is:
| Stage | Date |
| Applications open | November 2, 2026 |
| First-round deadline | January 8, 2027 |
| Second-round applications | Early–mid February 2027 |
| Second-round response period | 2–3 weeks |
| Finalist interviews | April 5–23, 2027 |
| Fellowship begins | June 28, 2027 |
RJI says second-round applications will be sent through Submittable, while finalist interviews are scheduled for April 5–23, 2027.
How to Apply for the RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship 2027
Applicants should begin preparing before the application opens.
Step 1: Identify a real journalism problem
Do not start with technology.
Start with the problem.
Ask yourself:
What is currently difficult, expensive, inefficient or missing in journalism?
Your idea should solve a genuine challenge faced by journalists, newsrooms or the communities they serve.
Step 2: Explain your solution
Once you identify the problem, explain how your proposed resource will solve it.
For example, you might propose:
- An AI-powered journalism tool
- A data platform
- A newsroom workflow solution
- An investigative reporting resource
- A community engagement platform
- A journalism training program
- A technology product
Step 3: Think about the final product
RJI wants projects that can actually be completed during the eight-month fellowship.
Your proposal should therefore be practical.
Explain:
- What you will build
- Who will use it
- How you will test it
- What resources you need
- How you will measure success
- How journalists will access it after launch
Step 4: Prepare for the second round
The first application is not the end of the process.
Applicants who progress will receive a more detailed second-round application through Submittable. RJI currently says these are expected in early to mid-February 2027, with applicants given approximately two to three weeks to complete them.
For more details about the application link, click here
What Kind of Project Is RJI Looking For?
A strong RJI fellowship idea should have four qualities:
- It solves a real problem: The project should respond to an identifiable journalism challenge.
- It can be built: An ambitious idea is good, but RJI needs to see a realistic path to completion within eight months.
- Other journalists can use it: The resulting tool or resource should not exist only for the applicant.
- It is free and accessible: The final product must be publicly available and free for journalists and newsrooms to use.
This is why simply proposing a personal journalism project may not be enough.
The fellowship is about creating something that can strengthen journalism beyond one person or organization.
Why the RJI Fellowship Is Different
Many journalism fellowships focus on professional development, academic study or reporting projects.
RJI takes a different approach.
Its emphasis is on building something useful.
A successful fellow can finish the program with:
- A functioning product
- A journalism technology tool
- A publicly available platform
- A professional network
- Experience testing an innovation
- A portfolio project
- A solution that can continue after the fellowship
RJI’s 2026 fellows, for example, are building AI systems, collaborative platforms and other practical resources intended for use by journalists and newsrooms.
FAQs
When does the RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship 2027 open?
Applications open on November 2, 2026.
What is the RJI Fellowship deadline?
The first-round application deadline is January 8, 2027.
How much does the RJI Fellowship pay?
The Individual and Institutional Fellowships provide $75,000, while the Emerging Technology Fellowship provides $100,000.
Is the RJI Fellowship remote?
Yes. The 2027 professional fellowships are remote, with several visits to RJI. The institute covers the cost of those trips.
Can international applicants apply?
Yes. RJI states that applicants can be located anywhere in the world.
Do I need to be a journalist?
No. RJI says its fellowships are open to everyone and there is no requirement to be a journalist. The Individual Fellowship specifically mentions journalists, consultants, researchers and other individuals as potential applicants.
Do I need a university degree?
The current RJI fellowship information does not specify a university degree requirement. Applicants are assessed around their ideas and ability to develop the proposed project.
What is the Emerging Technology Fellowship?
It is a fellowship for applicants who want to use emerging technology as a central part of a solution to a journalism problem. The 2027 award is $100,000.
When does the 2027 RJI Fellowship begin?
The fellowship begins on June 28, 2027, with an in-person kickoff at RJI.
Where is RJI located?
The Reynolds Journalism Institute is part of the University of Missouri’s Missouri School of Journalism in Columbia, Missouri.
Apply for the RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship 2027
If you have an idea that could make journalism more useful, efficient, accessible or innovative, the RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship is an opportunity worth preparing for.
The 2027 application opens November 2, 2026, and the first-round deadline is January 8, 2027.
The biggest mistake would be waiting until the application opens before developing your idea.
Start now by identifying the journalism problem you want to solve, researching who experiences it, designing your proposed solution and thinking about how the finished product could benefit journalists and newsrooms.
Official application and fellowship information
Apply for the RJI Professional Innovation Fellowship 2027
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