Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN) Fellowship 2026/27
Pulitzer Center
Quick Facts
A word from Eli, founder of Rise Africa Scholars
MSc Information Security — Unicaf Scholar
While you wait for a fully funded opportunity, don’t put your education on hold. I completed my MSc through Unicaf — studying online from Nairobi while working full-time. The tuition discount made it genuinely affordable, and the degree is from an accredited UK university.
If you’re serious about advancing your career now, I’d encourage you to explore it. I only recommend what I’ve used myself.
About This Scholarship
The Rainforest Investigations Network (RIN) Fellowship is a prestigious, fully funded yearlong program supporting experienced investigative journalists working on critical environmental stories tied to deforestation, climate change, corruption, and governance across the world’s three major tropical rainforest regions. Fellows collaborate across countries and newsrooms to produce impactful investigations examining financial incentives, illegal activities, global supply chains, and governance failures driving rainforest destruction.
What This Scholarship Covers
- Full or partial salary coverage depending on experience and location
- Reporting expenses including travel and consultant hiring
- Training in investigative techniques, data analysis, and satellite imagery tools
- Editorial guidance from multidisciplinary team
- Access to data, documents, and exclusive reporting resources
- Collaboration opportunities with international investigative journalists
- Support for cross-border investigations
- Outreach and engagement support for sharing findings with communities
Who Can Apply
- 1 Must be an experienced investigative journalist with a proven track record
- 2 Must be based in or focus reporting on Amazon, Congo Basin, or Southeast Asia regions
- 3 Reporters based outside the three main tropical rainforest regions may apply if their fellowship reporting focuses on these regions
- 4 Must be working as staff or freelance journalist on print, radio, video, or multimedia platforms
- 5 Freelance reporters must have support of a local or international newsroom to host and publish their work
- 6 Must demonstrate ability to work collaboratively across newsrooms and borders
- 7 Must have deep understanding of scientific, environmental, social, legal, political, and commercial forces in deforestation
- 8 Must be willing to participate in outreach activities related to investigations
- 9 Applications must be submitted individually, not by groups or media outlets