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 Police District Councils [in person] 9th Police District Council - Chinatown/Bridgeport/Back of the Yards
Notetaking by
Logan Sriharatsa
Chicago Police District Councils [in person] 7th Police District Council - Englewood
Notetaking by
Logan Sriharatsa
Chicago Police District Councils [in person] 7th Police District Council - Englewood
Live-tweeting by
Ebony Ellis
Chicago Police District Councils [in person] 17th Police District Council - Sauganash/Albany Park/Irving Park
Live-tweeting by
Maureen Dunne
Chicago Police District Councils [in person] 8th Police District Council - Archer Heights/Chicago Lawn/Clearing/Ashburn
Notetaking by
RODNEY GIPSON
Chicago Department of Planning and Development [remote or in person] Community Development Commission
Notetaking by
Chicago
Environment
April 3, 2024
Chicago City Council [remote or in person] Committee on Environmental Protection and Energy
Notetaking by
Tim Hogan
Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability [remote or in person] Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability
Live-tweeting by
Chitra Iyer
Chicago
Education
April 25, 2024
Chicago
Health
April 24, 2024
Chicago Department of Public Health [remote or in person] Board of Health
Live-tweeting by
Isabella Bonito
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.