General Freelance Pitch Form

General Freelance Pitch Form

SUBMIT YOUR PITCHES VIA EMAIL. DO NOT SUBMIT THROUGH THIS PORTAL.

Joseph Jaafari
Editor-in-Chief, LOOKOUT News
joseph@lookoutnews.org

We review pitches on a rolling basis and do our best to respond, though response times may vary depending on newsroom capacity.

LOOKOUT News is a forward-thinking, nonprofit newsroom dedicated to delivering in-depth journalism that goes beyond surface-level coverage. We focus ondeeply reported solutions and service journalism,accountability reporting, and narrative-driven stories that challenge prevailing media frames — particularly where LGBTQ+ communities, rural areas, and undercovered people are concerned.

Our work asks not justwhat happened, butwhy it matters,who is affected, andwhat could actually change. We aim to inform, engage, and empower our audience through rigorous reporting, sharp analysis, and storytelling that treats readers as thoughtful participants in civic life.

About Freelancing With LOOKOUT

Freelance contributors are a vital part of LOOKOUT’s newsroom. We are interested in working with journalists, writers, photographers, and storytellers who are curious, deeply reported, and unafraid to ask hard questions.

We are especially interested in pitches that:

• Gobeyond breaking news to explore impact, context, and consequence

• Centervoices often left out of mainstream coverage

• Examinepower, policy, and systems — and who benefits from them

• Offersolutions, accountability, or new ways of understanding familiar issues

You donot need a fully reported story to pitch us — but you should have a clear reporting plan.

The LOOKOUT Voice

LOOKOUT’s voice is:

• Clear, smart, and accessible — never jargon-heavy or academic

• Human-centered — policy and systems are explained through real people

• Accountability-driven — we name power, responsibility, and consequences

• Nuanced, not neutral — we do not default to both-sides journalism

• Curious and fair — tough, but grounded in facts and deep reporting

Our stories can be narrative, reported essays, investigations, or explanatory pieces, but they should always leave the reader with a stronger understanding ofwhy the story matters now.

What We’re Looking For

We welcome pitches across our core coverage areas, including but not limited to:

• LGBTQ+ policy, culture, and lived experience in Arizona or the Southwest region, generally (including trends across AZ, CO, UT, NM, and NV)

• Accountability journalism involving government, institutions, or corporations

• Solutions journalism addressing systemic problems through policy, innovation, or community-led efforts

• Underreported stories from rural, border, or overlooked communities

• Deeply reported features that challenge dominant narratives

We are particularly interested in stories that connect local reporting to broader state or national trends.

Compensation

• $250 base pay for reported stories of600-1,000 words with an expected turnaround of one month

• $50 per original photo published

• Higher compensation available for longer, more complex, or labor-intensive stories, to be discussed with a contracting editor before reporting begins

LOOKOUT pays on publication.

Pitch Requirements

When submitting a pitch, please include:

• A concisesummary of your proposed story (what it is and why it matters)

• Alist of interviews conducted so far, if any

• Records, documents, or data you have already gathered

• Information still needed to complete the reporting

• Aproposed timeline for reporting and filing

Strong pitches clearly explain the reporting angle, sources, and stakes — not just the topic.

Contact Information

SUBMIT YOUR PITCHES VIA EMAIL TO:

Joseph Jaafari
Editor-in-Chief, LOOKOUT News
joseph@lookoutnews.org

We review pitches on a rolling basis and do our best to respond, though response times may vary depending on newsroom capacity.