Here are some ways that you can engage with City Limits as a source, a contributor, an intern or a volunteer.

Pitching to City Limits

City Limits welcomes the inquiries of researchers, advocates, and ordinary citizens for its editorial investigations. To bring our attention to a particular issue, you can e-mail our editor-in-chief, Jarrett Murphy at jarrett@citylimits.org. We also encourage you to register with the community-powered journalism website Spot.Us to check out our profile.

There, you can give us feedback on our investigative pitches and support your interest in an unreported story with a contribution that can help get it published.

Writing for City Limits

City Limits welcomes pitches for op-eds and news articles. Op-eds are 500- to 750-word opinion pieces on topics concerning urban policy, preferably subjects that are in the headlines, are best written by people with an intimate knowledge of the topic area.

News articles are 1,000- to 1,500-word, in-depth or investigative articles on problems facing the city or particular neighborhoods, and/or policies that attempt to solve those problems. City Limits articles intend to spur and inform debate.

We do not usually publish articles about events or profiles of organization. Brief proposals for op-eds and news pieces may be emailed to our editor-in-chief Jarrett Murphy at jarrett@citylimits.org.

Interning with City Limits

As part of one of New York City’s fastest-growing non-profit media organizations, City Limits interns play an important role in helping us fulfill our mission. While our internships are unpaid, course credit is available. Staffers who started at City Limits have gone to work at The Village Voice, The New York Daily News, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.

Interns should be available to work at least one day per week between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Most internships last one academic period, but some can begin mid-period and last longer. Read about the City Limits Staff here. Our current internship opportunities are:

Photo and Multimedia Internship
Photography and multimedia interns will use video, audio, photo essays and slideshows, and flash animation to report their own news and feature stories and to support the projects of other interns and staff. Candidates must have experience using cameras and other hardware and multimedia processing software, the ability to travel around the city and access to necessary equipment.

Investigative Reporting Internship
Investigative reporting interns will perform the following duties to support the investigations of City Limits staff: draft and log Freedom of Information Act requests; conduct research and interviews; enter data; digitize, analyze and web publish documents; and employ computer-assisted reporting techniques. Interns will also have the option of pitching and reporting their own investigations and may occasionally be asked to write and report daily news stories. We are seeking candidates who have coursework or experience in journalism and/or social research, solid writing skills, a strong ethical grounding, the ability to work as part of a team and some background in public policy issues.

Marketing Internship
City Limits Marketing Interns support the grassroots marketing and promotion of City Limits print’ and electronic publications. Daily tasks will include general marketing and community relations support; establishing relationships with non-profit organizations and small businesses; conducting marketing research and evaluation of City Limits' outreach efforts, as well as expanding the reach of the City Limits brand through across the five boroughs.

Advertising Internship
City Limits Advertising Interns support the efforts of our Advertising Director on the business end of identifying revenue opportunities for City Limits as a non-profit media model. Prospective interns should be efficient, detail-oriented, and comfortable speaking with clients. Tasks include outreach to potential advertisers to introduce the City Limits advertising platform and drafting sales and marketing materials for prospective advertising campaigns. Interns also help to develop key City Limits business strategies.

To apply for a Multimedia/Editorial Internship: Email a resume, three hard news clips, three references – including one from a previous journalism internship or job – and a cover letter indicating which internships you'd like to apply for, to City Limits Deputy Editor, Kelly Virella   

To apply for a Marketing/Advertising Internship:
Please submit a cover letter and resume detailing your experience and interest in City Limits to 2010@citylimits.org. No phone calls please.

Volunteering with City Limits

City Limits welcomes the volunteer efforts of anyone committed to our mission of serving New Yorkers with the civic news and community information needed to be stakeholders in their community. Volunteers can either contribute their time on an as-needed or project-based capacity. To inquire about volunteer opportunities with City Limits, please e-mail our marketing assistant Nekoro Gomes at marketing@citylimits.org.

Partnering with City Limits

Our combination of civic news and community information has given us a trusted support base among New York City’s non-profit and media community. If you represent an organization, entrepreneur, business, or media entity that wants to work with City Limits, we want to hear from you! Please contact director@citylimits.org to let us know about your partnership idea or collaboration opportunity.