Welcome to New America, redesigned for what’s next.

A special message from New America’s CEO and President on our new look.

Read the Note

Investing in America's Future Thinkers

fellows_gradient-01.png
Samantha Webster for New America

Idea

At a time when journalism was dominated by the 24-7 news cycle and academia was becoming ever more esoteric, our fellowships were founded as a way to provide support to talented individuals as they pursued more ambitious endeavors. Books, films, photo essays, longform storytelling, policy projects—these are bodies of work that require both time and funding, but that once produced, have the capacity to reach a broad audience and change the way we think about pressing issues. In a short period of time, our Fellows became prominent voices reflecting the diverse backgrounds and ideologies of America.

Incubation

In 2008, the Fellows Program became more formalized in form and structure. The program aims to support National Fellows in three primary areas: providing funding to support talented individuals, building a community grounded in cohort gatherings throughout the year, and providing access to platforms and partners that can support their work. Today, in light of the grave challenges newsrooms and publishers face, the Fellows Program has become indispensable to journalism and storytelling. The support we provide can help turn an interesting story into a significant body of work. New America has gained a reputation among industry experts as an organization that takes on serious projects with lasting impacts.

Impact

Since its inception in 1999, New America has been an intellectual home to more than 200 National Fellows, resulting in the publication of more than 100 books, seven feature-length documentary films, and several longform reporting projects. Books published by New America National Fellows include 12 New York Times bestsellers and three Pulitzer Prize finalists; 61 books were featured in the New York Times Book Review. In 2019, Eliza Griswold received the Pulitzer Prize in Nonfiction for Amity and Prosperity: One Family and the Fracturing of America. A number of National Fellows have gone on to win prestigious fellowships and awards, including the MacArthur “Genius” grant and the National Magazine award.

Investing in America’s Future Thinkers

Table of Contents

Close