The USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism National Fellowship helps journalists and newsrooms produce in-depth reporting on health, equity, and community well-being across the United States. Fellows receive funding, training, and mentorship to pursue ambitious projects that examine how local conditions—such as schools, neighborhoods, and environments—shape health outcomes.
This fellowship allows reporters to step back from daily news and investigate systemic inequities tied to geography, race, gender, and income. Projects are designed to engage communities from the start, with the goal of creating journalism that informs, influences, and drives change.
Program Benefits
- Reporting grants of $2,000–$10,000
- A four-day training intensive in Los Angeles with health experts, policy leaders, community voices, and top journalists
- Five months of mentorship, virtual sessions, and skills-building workshops
- Optional engaged journalism track with additional funding of $1,000–$2,000
Reporting Themes
The fellowship emphasizes a broad view of health that goes beyond hospitals and clinics to explore social, environmental, and economic conditions. Fellows often focus on:
- Child, youth, and family well-being
- Maternal and infant health
- Mental health of children and families
- Root causes of health inequities
- The school-to-prison pipeline as a health issue
- Systemic barriers tied to poverty, race, and opportunity
- Community, school, and environmental influences on health
Who Should Apply
Journalists seeking to produce ambitious enterprise reporting on health equity and community well-being, with a focus on how local conditions connect to larger systemic challenges.
The National Fellowship is a signature program of the USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism, committed to supporting journalism that improves the health of communities.
Opportunity offered by:
USC Annenberg Center for Health Journalism
Opportunity type
Location(s) where available
Minimum grant amount
$2000
Maximum grant amount
$10000
Areas of focus
Engagement
Equity/Inclusion
Health
Poverty