The New York Times is launching a brand new initiative, with a focus on “exploring the world’s challenges through the lens of progress.” This seems to be part of a broader trend of solutions journalism, which generally aims to report on progress being made through real examples.

Because this is a new initiative, it may be a great way for freelancers new to writing for the New York Times to break in.

They have put together an extensive guide to pitching Headway, which includes clear details about what they’re looking for.

Overall, they seem to expect in-depth reporting on civic-oriented programs that are making a real impact that can inform a broader narrative. According to their pitching guide:

“We are more interested in pitches when the program is important enough to change conventional thinking, has good evidence of success and provides a lens through which we can tell a bigger story about larger ideas. These stories should have a larger meaning. We will be using only one or two such stories a month, so each story must carry weight, even if it is short. “

They’re paying $1 to $2 per word, depending on the reporting and effort required.

To learn more, and to send a pitch, I encourage you to very carefully study their pitching guidelines here.

Do not send them a pitch unless you are confident that you have an idea that fits their needs.

You can also learn more by reading this Tweet.