The Trace is the only newsroom in the US dedicated to full-time, in-depth coverage of America’s gun violence crisis. The Trace has completed collaborations or co-published articles with over 272 other news organizations and earned more than a dozen industry awards. Its reporting has also inspired additional coverage, generating more than 9,500 citations by influential national and local news organizations.

As The Trace prepares for a round of expansion focused on local coverage of cities hardest hit by gun violence, it is launching an editorial fellowship to both diversify The Trace’s own leadership pipeline and contribute to better representation among editing and newsroom management positions throughout the media. This grant provides support for a two-year fellowship under the direct mentorship of Trace editors. Reporters of color with at least five years of experience interested in becoming editors will be invited to apply. The fellow will rotate through several teams, including investigations and features, enterprise reporting and the local reporting network. At the start of the fellowship, The Trace’s editorial and management teams will assess any individual training or support needs and secure appropriate internal or external coaching and resources. Ultimately, the fellow be responsible for a mix of stories, including short- and long-term pieces. They will have opportunities to edit and shepherd increasingly ambitious stories while collaborating on some of The Trace’s most critical projects.