Photos by Tracey Salazar
AJI is a one-of-a-kind institution in Washington: a nonprofit educational organization that trains the political journalists of the future — and partners with the nonpartisan newsroom NOTUS to accomplish that goal. Every September, AJI welcomes a cohort of early-career reporters to D.C. for a two-year fellowship. In addition to participating in classroom training at AJI, fellows learn on the job at NOTUS, where they work as reporters and receive an annual salary of $60,000.
The AJI Reporting Fellowship…
“offers a golden opportunity that is unlike anything anywhere else. It’s like the best journalism school and the best reporting job all at once.”
Violet Jira
2024-2026 AJI Fellow
“offered me the comfort of being able to focus solely on the craft of reporting without the uncertainties of other reporting jobs.”
Calen Razor
2023-2025 AJI Fellow
“is a chance to be sharpened by journalists at the top of the game — an open door to excellence for any who get accepted.”
Ben T.N. Mause
2023-2025 AJI Fellow
“is truly reporting-focused. … We’re building our own beats, sourcing and doing the actual work of reporting — but with a lot of intentional support.”
Claire Heddles
2023-2025 AJI Fellow
AJI: The Backstory
AJI is a nonprofit organization backed by support from Robert Allbritton, the founding publisher of Politico, and a growing consortium of philanthropy. We enrolled our first class of fellows in September 2023, our second class in September 2024 and our third class in September 2025. We’re now in the selection process for our fourth class of fellows.
Want to learn about fellows’ AJI experiences? Click here.
Want to know more about AJI’s mission and philosophy? Read on.
We created the AJI Reporting Fellowship because…
Trust in the media is incredibly low
Americans’ news consumption has become as divided as our politics. We rely on news outlets and social media feeds that reinforce our own opinions.
Journalists are stuck in legacy thinking
So they can’t get the news to the people who need it most. Those who bring fresh ideas are often shut out of the rooms where decisions happen.
Our newsrooms are
too monolithic
You can’t report fairly on people you don’t understand. But our field still employs too few reporters who represent the backgrounds and beliefs of the people they cover.
It’s still too hard
to break in
Reporters used to get on-the-job training in local news, but those opportunities are disappearing. Graduate journalism programs often lack practical experience — and can be prohibitively expensive.
AJI’s Curriculum
The program begins with a four-week immersion course in the practical application of journalism skills, from ethics and newsgathering to writing and distribution. After four weeks, fellows balance ongoing classwork with hands-on experience: reporting and producing stories for NOTUS while honing their skills through seminars, weekly group critiques and staff mentorship. The formal program runs for 18 months, after which fellows are invited to stay for an additional six months as we support them in seeking their next opportunity. By the end of the program, graduates will have the background necessary to cover the inner workings of Washington — and will be ready to take on reporting jobs at the country’s best outlets.
Who is Eligible?
We are looking for applicants of all backgrounds who want to work in journalism; who have a keen interest in policy and politics; and who believe journalism can and should play a critical role in our democracy. Some fellows may be just out of school; others may be looking for a career transition; still others may be working journalists who are early in their careers. A passion for journalism is a prerequisite, but journalistic experience is not.
How to Apply
The application window for the class of 2026-2028 has closed. For information about key dates in the next admissions cycle, please fill out this form. If you have any questions, please email admissions@aji.org.
How to Donate
You can help support AJI in a variety of ways. Make a donation via debit/credit, ACH, PayPal or Google Pay on Classy here, or you can send a check to: Allbritton Journalism Institute, 1735 N. Lynn St., Arlington, VA 22209.
Prefer to use your DAF? You can easily give from a Fidelity Charitable, BNY Mellon or DAFgiving360 account here.
If you’d like to discuss making a gift of appreciated stock or mutual funds, or supporting us in another way, please reach out to executive director Kevin Grant at kevingrant@aji.org.