Key Resources
Related Resources
General Resources for Public Records Access & Freedom of Information
GovernmentDocs.org "gives the public an unprecedented level of access to government documents by allowing users to browse, search, and review hundreds of thousands of pages acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other public disclosure, or 'sunshine,' laws."
National Freedom of Information Coalition - "an alliance of citizen-driven nonprofit freedom of information organizations, academic and First Amendment centers, journalistic societies and attorneys."
- FOI LISTSERV - "Join in the discussion about access to public records, closure of governmental meetings, trends in legislation, and other issues about the public's access to government records and meetings."
- White Papers & Reports
The Center for Public Integrity - Investigations - "In-depth, original investigative journalism on issues of public concern."
Investigative Reporters & Editors - Story Search - can search for investigative stories by keyword, but access to the full text is only available to members.
Public Records (FIU Professor Neil Reisner) - provides resources about "finding and using public records and 'quasi' public records to find stories, buttress tips, follow paper trails and background people."
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press - "A nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free legal assistance to journalists since 1970."
Society of Professional Journalists - Freedom of Information
Student Press Law Center "is an advocate for student free-press rights and provides information, advice, and legal assistance at no charge to students and the educators who work with them."
The Sunshine in Government Initiative - "a coalition of media groups committed to promoting policies that ensure the government is accessible, accountable and open."
Sunshine Week - Your Right to Know (March 16-22, 2014) "is a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information. Participants include print, broadcast and online news media, civic groups, libraries, non-profits, schools and others interested in the public's right to know."
U.S. PIRG - "the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being."
- ProPublica - Journalism in the Public Interest"an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest"
- FOIAonline"From FOIAonline you can submit FOIA requests to all participating agencies, track the status of requests, search for requests submitted by others, access previously released records, and generate agency-specific FOIA processing reports."
- Congressional Data Coalition"a coalition of citizens, public interest groups, trade associations, and businesses that champion greater governmental transparency through improved public access to and long-term preservation of congressional information"
