People-powered news on your local government.
Who we are
A network of newsrooms and community organizations committed to participatory civic media.
What we do
We train and pay hundreds of people to attend under-reported public meetings and publish the results.
We’re building a new public record
Your elected officials are making big decisions. Keep tabs with original notes, live-tweet threads and multimedia reports from Documenters in your area—updated daily
Chicago City Council [remote or in person] Committee on Housing and Real Estate
Notetaking by
Nato'sha Trotter
Chicago
Politics
Dec. 16, 2024
Chicago City Council [remote or in person] Reconvened City Council Budget Vote
Notetaking by
Citlali Perez
Chicago
Criminal Justice
Dec. 19, 2024
Chicago
Finance
Nov. 12, 2024
Chicago City Council [remote or in-person 10am - 1:30pm] 2025 Chicago Budget Hearing: public safety
Notetaking by
Nikebia Brown-Joseph
Chicago
Politics
Dec. 13, 2024
Chicago City Council [remote or in person; 10am to 1:30pm] City Council: 2025 budget vote
Live reporting by
Chicago City Council [remote or in person] Committee on Housing and Real Estate
Live reporting by
Eliot Wyeth
Chicago City Council [remote or in person; 10am-1:30pm] 2025 Chicago budget hearing: Department of Water Management & Chicago Department of Aviation
Live reporting by
What our network is saying
Get involved in our community of practice.
A unique civic education
“How are your tax dollars spent? What are your elected officials doing? Are they listening to you? What is the process? That, as a Documenter, is what you have to show people.”
Susan Carlotta Ellis
Community reporting
“In almost every case for a meeting that I’ve covered, I’ve been the only person connected to the media that has been in the room.”
David Palmer
Local connections
“I've learned from other Documenters… I’ve learned skills that helped me to not just be a better citizen but also inform the type of work that I want to do.”
Isabel Sophia Dieppa
About this project
How our public meeting coverage supports local reporting.
How our public meeting coverage tracks policy trends and public input.
How our training modules build civic knowledge and action.
How anyone can become a Documenter in one of our local programs.