Comment is one of the core publications of Cardus, a think tank devoted to renewing North American social architecture, rooted in two thousand years of Christian social thought. They welcome unsolicited submissions and pitches from all doers and thinkers, and are looking for non-bland analysis on consequential or evergreen topics that you can speak to from a position of intelligent engagement. Their essays and reviews usually run from 2,500 to 3,000 words, with 4,000 words as a rough maximum. They pay all contributors an honorarium. To learn more, refer to this page.
The Philanthropist Journal is a free online publication that provides a forum for thoughtful discussion and debate about the charitable and non-profit sector in Canada. They welcome pitches from professional journalists on subjects of interest to the sector. Writers are paid a competitive rate agreed upon when the story is accepted and invoiced after the final edit is accepted. They are interested in well-written, original articles in plain English or French – analysis, op-eds, interviews, case studies and guides, book reviews. To learn more, refer to this page.
The Pudding explains ideas debated in culture with visual essays. They believe in journalism that denounces false equivalence, one that can explicitly say Black Lives Matter, one that never views human rights as partisan issues, and one that believes a person's own experiences are central to strong storytelling. They are always looking to collaborate with freelancers on visual stories they are excited to tell. Each quarter, they commission a couple of essays, but they accept story pitches year-round. According to their pitch guide, they pay $7,200 for end-to-end work on an essay. To learn more, refer to this page.
Chalk is a new print magazine that champions good research, combining intelligent writing and beautiful design to tell interesting stories about history, culture, science, and nature. They want great ideas and unexpected stories. Features should average around 3,000 words but might be more or less depending on the subject. Short features should be around 1,500 words. They pay all of their contributors. To learn more, refer to this page.
Signal Hill is an audio magazine that publishes audio documentaries of all kinds, including reporting, essays, shorts, profiles, dispatches, and reviews. They accept story pitches through their pitch form. They review pitches on a quarterly basis. According to their pitch form, rates range from $500 to $3,000 for stories. They do not accept pitches for previously published work. To learn more, refer to their pitch form and website.
The Latino Newsletter is “an independent, no-paywall, newsletter-first newsroom and production studio covering the issues shaping Latino life and influence in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.” They’re open to pitches: “We seek stories that urgently challenge mainstream narratives about who we are as a community. We strive for original and necessary journalism at all times.” According to their pitch guide, rates vary based on length and complexity but do not exceed $100-$200 for 700 words. If interested, send your pitches to editor@thelatinonewsletter.org. To learn more, refer to this page.
Inkstick is “a nonprofit newsroom focused on endless war and all that it entails: the military industrial complex, growing authoritarianism, militarization of policing, borders everywhere, and human rights crises in the US and beyond.” They publish contributions in the following formats: commentary, essays, and reported articles. According to their managing editor, they typically pay $500 for a standard reported feature of about 1,200 words. To learn more, refer to their submissions page.
The Appeal is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to exposing how the U.S. criminal legal system fails to keep people safe and perpetuates harm. They prioritize pitches about politics (elections, legislation, policies, and reform efforts), alternatives (critical analysis of solutions to elements of the current criminal legal system), stories reporting on, and from, the South, Midwest, or rural areas, and op-eds and personal essays written by people impacted by the criminal-legal system. According to their pitch guide, they pay $1/ commissioned word for reported and first-person pieces up to 2,000 words. Payment for longer pieces is negotiable. To learn more, refer to this page.
Heat Death is “a newsletter about yesterday, tomorrow, and all the crises in between.” They’re always looking to commission guest essays and pieces that fit with their “primary ethos – weird deep dives into history, ecology, culture, and the unexpected intersections between them.” According to their pitch guide, they offer an honorarium of $50 to $75 per piece. The sweet spot for finished pieces is between 2,000 and 4,000 words, though they have commissioned longer pieces when the idea calls for it. If interested, direct your pitches to aelbein@gmail.com. To learn more, refer to this page.
The Green European Journal is a political ecology magazine. They publish “articles which track political currents and ideas, offering fresh perspectives and frontline analysis.” They look to two dimensions to guide their content: political ecology and Europe. The inclusion of “these two aspects – whether to a lesser or greater extent – is of first and foremost importance when the editorial team makes decisions on content.” They publish articles in a range of formats, including analysis, essays, case studies and features, reviews, interviews, and fiction. According to their editor-in-chief, they usually pay €300 to €400 per piece. To learn more, refer to this page.