Report for America will provide funding to six Wisconsin newsrooms to support 10 reporting positions in 2022, the nonprofit announced on Wednesday.
Of the selected newsrooms, The (Appleton) Post-Crescent will participate in the program for the first time.
With the announcement of 70 new reporting positions, Report for America’s 2022 corps will include 325 journalists in nearly 270 newsrooms across all 50 states and three U.S. territories. Selections were made mostly on the basis of which newsrooms defined the most compelling gaps in coverage and plans to deploy corps members, according to an announcement from the organization.
Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, is a two-year program with an option for a third year. The program pays up to $30,000 toward half of the journalist’s salary in the first year. Funding for the second year is 33% of the salary, and it’s 20% for the third year, with no cap. Host newsrooms cover the remaining salary and are strongly encouraged to raise support from local donors — an effort RFA helps with.
In 2021, the program supported nine reporting positions in seven Wisconsin newsrooms and, in 2020, it provided funding for eight reporters in six of the state’s newsrooms.
2022 Wisconsin newsrooms
Wisconsin’s host newsrooms and coverage areas are listed below, with returning reporters and beats listed in parentheses.
Green Bay Press-Gazette
Native American issues in Green Bay and Wisconsin (Frank Vaisvilas, 3rd year)
Green Bay schools*
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Native American and other undercovered communities (Sara Volpenhein, 3rd year)
Latino neighborhoods on the city’s southside (Jessica Rodriguez, 3rd year)
Wisconsin environmental challenges (Mississippi River Basin Project)*
Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service
Community coverage (Princess Safiya Byers, 3rd year)
The Post-Crescent
Childcare crisis in Wisconsin*
Wausau Pilot & Review
Hmong and other immigrants in Marathon County (2nd year)
Wisconsin Watch
Wisconsin statehouse*
Environmental, land use and agricultural issues in western Wisconsin (Mississippi River Basin Project)*
Other Wisconsin newsrooms that previously participated in the program include Spectrum News Milwaukee and the Wausau Daily Herald.
Program looks to fill 150 reporting positions
With the announcement of host newspapers, applications are now open for reporters interested in being Report for America corps members in 2022. The program plans to fill approximately 150 reporting positions, according to their announcement.
Applications will be accepted until Jan. 31; however, those who apply before Dec. 31 will receive early consideration. Corps members will be selected from a highly-competitive, national competition. Last year, more than 1,800 applications were received. Those hired become employees of their respective newsrooms and will begin their employment on June 1, 2022.
“Report for America provides a unique opportunity for journalists to pursue meaningful, local beat reporting that sadly is missing from many of today’s newsrooms,” Earl Johnson, director of admissions at Report for America, said in an announcement from the organization. “Beyond talented reporters and photojournalists, we are looking for a diversity of individuals who see journalism as a calling, who want to make a difference within their communities.”
More information can be found here.
