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Since 2022, the IIJ has served independent journalists of color with free and low-cost programming designed by and for entrepreneurs. Our time-tested methods incorporate the changing industry landscape and connect freelancers with gatekeepers. An IIJ membership keeps your freelancing strategic and sustainable by giving you access to: 

  • Monthly drop-in group strategy sessions with IIJ leaders, facilitated by founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis in 2026

    Guides for pitching over 50 diverse media outlets, including Bloomberg, the New York Times, Marketplace, Mother Jones, Science Friday, and Slate (see the full list below)

  • Live monthly webinars that connect you to assigning editors from outlets like New York Magazine, MIT Technology Review, and National Geographic.

  • Discounted registration for the annual IIJ conference, our Business of Freelancing course, the Business of Freelancing Workshop, and our Meet the Editors online event.

  • Early access to sign up for 1:1 slots to pitch editors in our Meet the Editors online event.

  • Exclusive previews of new IIJ projects and programs

  • A library of nearly 80 panel discussions and Q&A interviews with assigning editors from the Associated Press, KFF Health News, the Margin, USA Today … and many more!

Use these resources to perfect your pitches, expand your client list, and increase your earning potential. This membership pays for itself! You also will be part of building the IIJ community into a powerful force for change in journalism, at a time when many of our institutions are crumbling. We create programs for the one-third of journalists who are independent, and we center those most likely to be excluded from newsrooms: journalists of color, women, immigrants, and those with a disability or LGBTQ+ identity.

Regular

$90 per year

Access to our pitch guide library and evergreen freelance resources

Free access to our six live webinars annually ($30 each for non-members)

Access to monthly drop-in strategy sessions with IIJ leaders, which founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis will facilitate in 2026

Access to over 100 hours of recorded programs, including the 2023, 2024 and 2025 conferences

15% discount to all paid IIJ events, including the 8-week business of freelancing course, editor pitch events, business workshop, and the annual conference

Value: $900 worth of training, content and programs

Gold Member

$190 per year

All the benefits of regular membership, plus:

Unlimited access to IIJ videos and guides, including the newest additions from the 2026 season

One half-hour 1:1 coaching session with experienced IIJ leaders

30% discount to all paid IIJ events, including the 8-week business of freelancing course, editor pitch events, business workshop, and the annual conference

Value: $1,100 worth of training, content and programs

Cornerstone Member

$190 per year +

$310 one-time contribution

All the benefits of gold membership, plus lifetime acknowledgement on the IIJ website, conference program, annual report, and event materials

A shout out on the Freelance Journalism Podcast

Value: $2,500 worth of training, content, programs

Lifetime Member

$2000 and up

Lifetime gold membership in addition to the benefits of all other membership levels

An IIJ membership is an investment in your journalism career, and connects you with a thriving community of hundreds of other independent creators, who are forging their way through a new media and technology landscape. With the tools available through the IIJ and elsewhere, there’s never been a better time to build your own revenue streams and independence. 

Why become a member?

In 2025, the IIJ served nearly 3,000 independent journalists with education, advocacy, and professional development. Hear what some of those journalists have to say: 

“I learned more about freelancing in the IIJ workshop than I did in an Ivy League journalism program,” - Deep Vakil:

“I have successfully set up an LLC with a business account, and I’ve landed several clients to get my content creation company started. IIJ’s guide didn’t just give me the tools to kick off my new career. It gave me the confidence to let me know I could.” - Giselle Greenwood

“My first big break came from the IIJ. I would highly recommend participating in anything the IIJ does. It has been such a warm, welcoming community. I haven't found the resources that they're putting out there elsewhere.” - Chelsey Stone 

If you purchased access to each of these programs or resources individually at the regular price you’d need to spend over $800. Combined with the discounts, other benefits, and access to coaching, the total value of a regular membership is $900, a gold membership is $1,100, and a cornerstone membership is $2,500. 

IIJ membership at any level unlocks our library of existing content designed to power your pitches to these outlets and more:

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We heard from our community that independent journalists need more individualized support and tools to navigate the quickly changing media landscape. Revenue from memberships will let us expand our programs and launch individualized coaching, as well as lessening the IIJ’s dependence on grant funding. In 2026, we will launch a “meet the editors” event that will put freelancers in a virtual room with a top editor to pitch them directly.  

  • We will still make our events and resources as accessible as possible. Our pricing for webinars, the annual conference, the eight-week Business of Freelancing course, the one-day Business of Freelancing workshop, and Meet the Editor events will stay affordable, though members will be entitled to an additional discount. Our in-person meetups at journalism conferences will always be free of charge for freelancers. Non-members can still enjoy our weekly newsletter full of freelance opportunities and pitch calls, the Freelance Journalism Podcast, the Freelance Quick Start Guide, and find support in our Slack community.

  • No, non-members are still welcome to attend webinars for $30. Registration for the annual conference, Business of Freelancing Workshop or 8-week Business of Freelancing Course will also remain open to non-members, although members will get first crack at signups for 1:1 pitch sessions with editors.

  • After September 1, 2026, our full webinar archive will be available exclusively for members. The podcast will still be available publicly.

  • IIJ leaders will hold a monthly one-hour drop-in strategy call exclusively for members, addressing topics suggested by the community. Members will have the opportunity to receive advice on their freelance business practices from one of our cohort of accomplished journalists, published authors, journalism professors, and entrepreneurs. IIJ Founder Katherine Reynolds Lewis will facilitate monthly drop-ins for 2026. While each call will focus on a specified theme, members can bring any question or issue for feedback. 

  • Regular members receive access to all pitch guides, old video content, current webinars, and drop-in sessions, as well as a 15% discount on all other IIJ programming, which comprises a total value of $900. Gold members receive these benefits plus one half-hour coaching session each year, the current year’s conference recordings, and a 30% discount on all other IIJ programming, for a total value of $1,100. Cornerstone members receive all benefits of gold membership, with a shout-out on the Freelance Journalism Podcast and recognition on the IIJ website and conference program. Lifetime members receive cornerstone member benefits forever.

  • Membership in the IIJ is valid for one year from the day you join. During that year, you have unlimited access to the written, video, and audio content in the membership portal at your tier level (regular or gold), and discounts to all events purchased during that year. After 365 days, you will transition to a free membership, and you must renew your paid membership in order to continue to access content.

  • As part of your membership submission, we are asking for information about your areas of interest and mediums in which you create content. This helps us tailor future programming and email outreach to people who may benefit the most.

  • We partner with many other journalism organizations to offer joint programming or reciprocal discount codes, and appreciate the work that they do to support many of our members by beat area, racial or ethnic identity, or other focus. The IIJ is the only organization that centers both freelancers and journalists of color. We believe it’s crucial to have one space focused on the intersection of those two groups, and their unique needs, notably to build entrepreneurship skills and expand opportunities for independent creators. We will continue to offer discounts to members of our partner organizations, such as the Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, American Society of Journalists and Authors, and Freelance Solidarity Project. To propose a new partnership or explore a discount, email us at info@theiij.com

  • We also accept one-time donations through this link, and we welcome recurring gifts, planned giving, contributions via donor advised funds and other vehicles. Reach out to info@theiij.com to explore the options.