Investigative Submissions

Inspired by Progressive Era muckrakers such as Upton Sinclair, Ida B. Wells and Lincoln Steffens — who helped usher in reforms like women’s suffrage, an eight-hour workday and an end to child labor—In These Times has remained committed to its founding belief that working-class movements need independent investigative journalism to provide critical information for social change.

We prioritize in-depth investigative projects that align with In These Times’ mission of informing and orienting movements for economic and social justice. Our ideal story is one that shines light on oppressive systems through in-depth explanatory journalism, human storytelling, data analysis or original reporting in a way that provides actionable information to movements or change-makers.

We will fully consider any proposal of that nature, but some topics of particular interest are: labor, profit over people, corporate or monetary influence on government, the Right wing, Israel/​​Palestine, immigration and the disparate effects of climate change.

In These Times recognizes the tremendous amount of work and risk that goes into investigative reporting. Therefore, we offer a story fee of $5,000, plus compensation for necessary travel and other expenses. 

We also provide legal support — including legal review and indemnification for writers in the event of adverse legal action — and extensive fact-checking and editorial support. Based on a story’s needs, we may also provide other resources such as data analysis and visualization, FOIA assistance, research support or translation. 

Stories will typically be published in In These Times magazine and InThe​se​Times​.com.

Partnerships: In These Times routinely partners with other outlets. Applicants should not have committed the story elsewhere, but once it is accepted we are open to considering co-publication arrangements on a case-by-case basis. In These Times also accepts applications from organizations and media outlets seeking to co-produce an investigation.

To Apply:

To apply for investigative funding from In These Times, please email a proposal to investigations@​inthesetimes.​com. Your proposal should include all of the following in a single Word or Google document (not to exceed 1,300 words):

• A brief (200−300 word) summary of the issue, the new information you have found and what else you hope to uncover, and how you will do so;
• A brief overview of any additional context needed to understand your topic;
• At least 3 links to the most significant reporting on the topic, and an explanation of how your findings will go beyond previous reporting;
• Your reporting plan, including proposed original sources (public records requests, interviewees, confidential sources, court documents, data, etc); 
• Any necessary travel or other anticipated expenses;
• And a brief summary of your journalistic experience, including 2-3 links to previous work.

Applications are considered on a bimonthly basis, but time-sensitive stories may be fast-tracked. Please indicate if there are particular time-sensitive aspects to your proposed story.

In These Times investigations

Since its founding in 1976, In These Times has prioritized investigative reporting that holds the powerful to account. Our stories have frequently scooped the mainstream media on issues ranging from the first coverage of global warming to extensive investigative reporting on the Iran Contra scandal in the ​’80s. In recent years, In These Times exposed coal executives secretly writing federal policy and first sounded the alarm about rampant police killings of Native Americans.

Our investigative pieces, which have included collaborations with City Bureau, Type Investigations, Centro de Periodismo Investigativo and more, have received recognition from the Izzy Award, the European Press Prize, the Livingston Award and others.

The following are examples of some of our many investigative pieces, but you can read more here.