Publication: Prism
Topics: News, politics, social justice, grassroots movements, U.S. policy, imperialism, communities, features, investigations, opinion, personal essays
Rate (USD): $400–$1,500
Deadline: Ongoing
Editor: Prism Editorial Team
Submit Via: Prism pitch form

Prism is an independent, nonprofit newsroom led by journalists of color. Its mission is to share stories from grassroots perspectives and fill gaps left by mainstream media.

Prism accepts pitches from emerging and experienced writers, with particular encouragement for BIPOC, women, LGBTQIA+ people, and others from historically oppressed communities.

The publication looks for well-researched, topical stories grounded in historical and political context. Strong pitches should have a compelling voice, clear narrative, and reporting that brings perspectives often missing from mainstream coverage.

Prism covers issues across the U.S., U.S. territories, and places where the direct consequences of U.S. policy and imperialism are felt.

What Prism Is Looking For

Before pitching, writers should identify what existing coverage is missing. Prism encourages contributors to look at coverage gaps, missing analysis, historical context, and the root causes behind an issue.

Writers should consider:

• What is missing from the reporting already available?
• What coverage or information gaps exist?
• What analysis or historical grounding is missing?
• What is the root cause of the problem?
• Which community is most affected by the news or policy?
• Are the people most affected centered in existing coverage?
• Who are the most vulnerable people affected, and how is the issue playing out in their lives?
• Which grassroots organizations or communities have worked on the issue for years but remain absent from the conversation?
• Who has direct knowledge or experience that can provide deeper insight?

Strong pitches should demonstrate why the story matters, who needs to be heard, and what original reporting the writer can contribute.

Writers should review Prism’s latest coverage and commentary before pitching to understand the publication’s current reporting priorities. You can also follow Prism on Bluesky, Instagram, and Facebook to get a sense of its community and coverage.

Prism Story Types and Pay

News Stories — $600

News stories answer who, what, when, where, and why. They include original reporting and explain what happened and why it matters.

Assignments are usually time-sensitive and may involve interviews with relevant sources and reviewing publicly available forms or documents.

Features — $800

Features are longer reported pieces with a stronger narrative framework. They should be character-driven, have a strong sense of place, and explore issues and systems in depth.

Features typically require more extensive reporting, interviews, and research than standard news stories.

Investigative News Stories — $900

Investigative news stories involve additional reporting and original research beyond a typical news assignment.

They may involve discovering previously unreported information, pursuing difficult-to-reach sources, or connecting information that has not previously been brought to light.

Investigations — $1,500

Investigations are substantial, deeply reported projects requiring significant original reporting and research.

They can involve extensive document review, data analysis, numerous interviews, public records requests, and other investigative reporting. Prism says every investigation it publishes goes through thorough legal review with an attorney.

Op-Eds — $400

Opinion pieces should offer a clear argument on a current issue and be informed by the writer’s expertise, experience, or analysis.

Q&As — $400

Q&A articles typically begin with an introduction that provides context and establishes the framework for the discussion.

The conversation between the subject and reporter should capture the personalities involved while adding depth and authenticity to the story.

Explainers — $400

Explainers provide analysis, context, and understanding of complex or significant news stories.

They should break down complicated topics, events, or issues and make them accessible to a general audience.

Personal Essays — $400

Personal essays should be grounded in the writer’s personal narrative. They may include anecdotes or scenes while connecting the individual experience to larger societal issues.

Right to Write — $400

Prism’s Right to Write (R2W) project welcomes stories from across its coverage areas and verticals from currently or formerly incarcerated people.

The project also welcomes proxy journalists, writers, organizations, and community members working with incarcerated writers.

R2W pieces are often first-person or experience-based stories in which incarcerated writers share their stories, perspectives, and expertise. They may include research and reporting but generally do not require the same level of original reporting or document research as other assignments.

Prism says the $400 base rate reflects the typical scope and reporting demands of these pieces, rather than the value of the writer’s perspective or lived experience.

How to Pitch Prism

Prism now requires writers to submit pitches through its official pitch form. The publication will no longer accept submissions through editors’ email addresses or previous pitch inboxes.

Prism works a four-day workweek and is closed on Fridays. If your pitch is accepted, you can generally expect to hear from the publication within one to two weeks. Prism notes that it is currently unable to respond to every submission.

Accepted pitches are paid within 15 business days after publication.

Rates are agreed upon before an assignment begins. Effective November 1, 2026, Prism will switch to a base-rate payment structure for freelance assignments.

Prism’s AI Policy

Before pitching, writers should review Prism’s code of ethics, particularly its section covering AI and generative AI.

Prism states that it does not use generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, or Midjourney to create original content, article pitches, or images because these tools can produce inaccurate or biased information.

The newsroom’s stated commitment is to human-authored, fact-checked journalism from pitch through publication.

Pitches generated by AI will be automatically declined without response.

Writers should therefore submit original pitches based on their own reporting, research, ideas, and writing.

Pitching Tips

Study Prism’s recent coverage before submitting an idea. Identify a specific reporting gap rather than simply describing a topic that is already widely covered.

Center the communities most affected by the issue and identify people, organizations, or experts who can provide original reporting and firsthand perspectives.

Include the historical and political context needed to understand the issue, explain what is new or underreported, and show how you plan to report it.

Make sure the proposed story fits one of Prism’s story types and understand the typical scope of work and applicable base rate before submitting.