ProPublica. An American nonprofit organization based in New York City. It is a nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest. ProPublica’s investigations primarily focus on stories with moral force, particularly those that expose abuses of power, corruption, and systems that fail to serve the public.
History
ProPublica was founded in 2007 by former Wall Street Journal managing editor Paul Steiger, with initial funding from the Sandler Foundation. The organization began publishing in June 2008, becoming the first major digital platform dedicated exclusively to investigative journalism in the public interest. Herbert and Marion Sandler made an initial commitment of $10 million annually to the project.
Stephen Engelberg, a former managing editor of The Oregonian and investigative editor at The New York Times, became ProPublica’s first managing editor. In 2010, he was succeeded as editor-in-chief by Stephen Engelberg, with Steiger becoming executive chairman.
Richard Tofel, former assistant publisher of The Wall Street Journal, became the organization’s first general manager, and later served as president until his retirement in 2021.
Mission and Structure
ProPublica’s stated mission is “to expose abuses of power and betrayals of the public trust by government, business, and other institutions, using the moral force of investigative journalism to spur reform through the sustained spotlighting of wrongdoing.”
Unlike many traditional news organizations, ProPublica operates as a nonprofit organization, allowing it to focus on journalism with significant impact rather than stories that attract the largest audience or maximize advertising revenue. This model enables ProPublica to conduct time-intensive investigations that may not be financially viable for commercial news outlets.
As of 2024, ProPublica employs approximately 140 journalists and support staff, with bureaus in several U.S. cities including Washington D.C., Chicago, and the Southwest. In addition to its national newsroom, ProPublica has launched regional initiatives including ProPublica Illinois in 2017 and a joint initiative with The Texas Tribune in 2020.
Funding
ProPublica is primarily funded through philanthropic donations. Its initial funding came from the Sandler Foundation, but it has since diversified its funding sources to include:
• Major foundations such as the MacArthur Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Knight Foundation
• Individual donations from the public
• Major gifts from high-net-worth individuals
• Some earned revenue through syndication and co-publishing arrangements
In 2020, ProPublica received a $10 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. ProPublica publishes detailed financial information, including the identity of all donors contributing more than $50,000, in the interest of transparency.
Notable Investigations and Impact
ProPublica has produced numerous high-impact investigations that have led to policy changes, reforms, and accountability. Some of its most significant work includes:
• The Wall Street Money Machine series (2010) – Investigation into how some Wall Street bankers, including those at Goldman Sachs, profited from the financial crisis
• Deadly Choices at Memorial (2009) – An investigation by Sheri Fink into decisions made by doctors at Memorial Medical Center following Hurricane Katrina, which won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting.
• The ProPublica/This American Life series on workers’ compensation (2015) – An investigation revealing how states across the country were dismantling workers’ compensation programs.
• Trump Town (2018-2020) – A database tracking conflicts of interest in the Trump administration.
• The Secret IRS Files (2021) – A series revealing how America’s ultra-wealthy effectively avoid taxes, based on a vast cache of IRS data.
• The Sacrifice Zone (2021) – Environmental reporting on areas with dangerously high cancer risks due to air pollution, which prompted EPA investigations.
Recognition and Awards
ProPublica has established itself as one of the most decorated news organizations of its size. As of 2024, its work has been recognized with:
• Six Pulitzer Prizes: • 2010 Investigative Reporting (Sheri Fink, “Deadly Choices at Memorial”)
• 2011 National Reporting (Jesse Eisinger and Jake Bernstein, “The Wall Street Money Machine”)
• 2016 Explanatory Reporting (T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, and Ken Armstrong, The Marshall Project, “An Unbelievable Story of Rape”)
• 2017 Public Service (with the New York Daily News)
• 2019 Feature Writing (Hannah Dreier, “Trapped in Gangland”)
• 2020 Public Service (with the Anchorage Daily News)
• Multiple George Polk Awards
• Peabody Awards
• National Magazine Awards
• Online Journalism Awards
• Loeb Awards for business journalism=
Publishing Model
ProPublica pioneered several innovative approaches to publishing investigative journalism:
1. Publishing partnerships: ProPublica frequently collaborates with traditional news organizations to co-publish investigations, extending the reach of its reporting. Partners have included The New York Times, NPR, This American Life, The Atlantic, and hundreds of other outlets.
2. Open data: ProPublica often publishes the data sets used in its investigations, allowing other journalists, researchers, and the public to build upon its work.
3. Multimedia storytelling: The organization employs various formats including longform articles, interactive databases, podcasts, and visual storytelling.
4. Local Reporting Network: Launched in 2018, this initiative funds and supports local journalists conducting investigative projects in their communities.
5. Republishing program: ProPublica makes much of its work available for republishing under Creative Commons licenses, allowing other news organizations to publish its stories at no cost.
Technology and Innovation
ProPublica has developed a reputation for technical innovation in journalism, including:
• The News Applications team: A group of journalist-programmers who build interactive databases and tools.
• Electionland: A collaborative reporting initiative to monitor voting problems in real time.
• Nonprofit Explorer: A searchable database of tax forms filed by nonprofit organizations.
• Documenting Hate: A national database to help document hate crimes and bias incidents.
• The Opportunity Gap: Interactive tools examining inequality in American schools.
Criticism and Controversies
While generally well-respected, ProPublica has faced some criticism:
• Questions about whether nonprofit journalism can truly be independent from the interests of its donors
• Occasional criticism of specific investigative methodologies or conclusions
• Debates about the role of advocacy in its reporting on certain issues
ProPublica has responded to such criticism by maintaining strict editorial independence from donors and publishing detailed methodology explanations for controversial stories.
See Also
• Investigative journalism
• Nonprofit journalism
• Center for Investigative Reporting
• The Marshall Project
• International Consortium of Investigative Journalists
• Solutions Journalism Network
External Links
• Official website: ProPublica.org
• ProPublica’s annual reports and financial statements
• ProPublica Illinois
• The ProPublica Local Reporting Network
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