Mongabay Opens Applications for Conservation Reporting Fellowship 2026

Mongabay is inviting early-career journalists from tropical countries to apply for its Conservation Reporting Fellowship, offering mentorship, a monthly stipend, and publication opportunities to report on biodiversity, climate, and community issues.

As biodiversity loss accelerates and climate impacts intensify across the world’s tropical regions, the need for independent, in-depth environmental journalism has never been greater. Yet, for many journalists working closest to these unfolding crises, the ability to report thoroughly and independently is increasingly under threat. Shrinking newsroom budgets, limited funding opportunities, and restrictions on press freedom have reduced the space for long-form, investigative reporting—particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

In response to these challenges, Mongabay, a leading nonprofit environmental news organization, has announced a new call for applications for its Conservation Reporting Fellowship. This fellowship is designed to support early-career journalists from tropical countries who are committed to covering urgent conservation, climate, and community-related stories in their regions.

Addressing a Critical Gap in Environmental Journalism

Across the tropics, ecosystems are under mounting pressure from deforestation, mining, industrial agriculture, wildlife trafficking, and climate change. At the same time, Indigenous Peoples and local communities—often the most effective stewards of biodiversity—are facing displacement, violence, and exclusion from decision-making processes.

Despite the importance of these stories, journalists reporting from these regions frequently lack the resources to pursue in-depth investigations or sustained coverage. Mongabay’s Conservation Reporting Fellowship aims to bridge this gap by providing financial support, editorial mentorship, and a global publishing platform to journalists who are best positioned to tell these stories.

Fellowship Overview

The Mongabay Conservation Reporting Fellowship is a remote, part-time programme that runs over a six-month period. It is structured to allow fellows to balance the fellowship with other professional or personal commitments while still producing high-quality journalism.

Fellowship at a Glance

Who can apply: Early-career journalists from low- to upper-middle-income tropical countries
Fellowship period: 1 June to 30 November 2026
Time commitment: Approximately 10 hours per week
Financial support: USD $500 per month
Editorial output: Six original, in-depth stories published by Mongabay
Support provided: Ongoing editorial mentorship from experienced Mongabay editors

What Fellows Will Gain

Selected fellows will receive hands-on mentorship from Mongabay’s experienced editorial team, offering guidance on story development, reporting techniques, structure, fact-checking, and ethical considerations in environmental journalism.

Through this process, fellows will:

Strengthen their investigative and narrative reporting skills
Gain experience covering complex conservation and climate topics
Build a professional portfolio with internationally published work
Develop long-term relationships with editors and fellow journalists

The fellowship emphasizes independent, evidence-based reporting that centers local perspectives and highlights the social, political, and environmental dimensions of conservation challenges.

Focus Areas and Story Themes

While fellows have editorial independence in shaping their stories, Mongabay encourages reporting on themes such as:

Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation
Climate change impacts in tropical regions
Indigenous land rights and community-led conservation
Environmental governance, policy, and accountability
Natural resource extraction and its social consequences

Stories are expected to be deeply reported, locally grounded, and globally relevant, helping international audiences better understand environmental challenges in the tropics.

Who Should Apply

The fellowship is best suited to early-career journalists who have some reporting experience and a demonstrated interest in environmental, climate, or conservation issues. Applicants should be based in tropical countries classified as low- to upper-middle-income economies.

Mongabay values diversity in backgrounds, geographies, and perspectives, and strongly encourages applications from journalists working in underrepresented or high-risk contexts.

Application Process and Timeline

Applications for the Mongabay Conservation Reporting Fellowship are open from 15 December to 1 February and are reviewed on a rolling basis. Early applications are encouraged, as selections may be made before the final deadline.

Applicants are typically required to submit:

A statement of interest outlining their motivation and experience
Story ideas relevant to Mongabay’s conservation focus
Samples of previous journalistic work

Detailed application instructions are provided through Mongabay’s official fellowship announcement.

Why This Fellowship Matters

Independent environmental journalism plays a critical role in holding power to account, amplifying marginalized voices, and informing public debate. By investing in journalists from the regions most affected by environmental change, Mongabay’s fellowship contributes to stronger media ecosystems and more equitable global storytelling.

For early-career journalists, the fellowship offers not only financial support, but also professional growth, visibility, and long-term career development in a highly competitive field.

Conclusion

The Mongabay Conservation Reporting Fellowship represents a valuable opportunity for early-career journalists in tropical countries to deepen their reporting, gain international exposure, and contribute meaningfully to global conversations on biodiversity, climate, and conservation.

Journalists passionate about environmental storytelling and committed to rigorous, independent reporting are encouraged to apply and take advantage of this unique platform to share stories that matter—both locally and globally.