We’re Unique, But The ‘Bulldog’ is Not Alone
Even before launching this new venture in local nonpartisan nonprofit investigative journalism in the public interest, The Austin Bulldog made it a point to join the budding Investigative News Network (INN).
The INN was established as a result of a meeting in July 2009 by more than two dozen existing nonprofit investigative reporting organizations. A steering committee was formed. Grants were applied for and obtained. In June 2010 Executive Director Kevin Davis was hired. The INN has grown rapidly and now has 45 nonprofit member organizations doing investigative reporting, including one in Canada and one in Puerto Rico.
Member organizations have already participated in important investigative projects, including a recent effort to localize a national story broken by the Center for Public Integrity and The Washington Post, which revealed letters from lawmakers who publicly criticized the stimulus bill, yet privately sought funds for local projects. To avoid duplicating efforts here for this project, The Austin Bulldog deferred to the Texas Observer, also an INN member, so that better staffed organization would carry the ball, resulting in an October 18 cover story titled “Republicans’ Secret Love for the Stimulus.”
Nonprofit journalism is expanding and The Austin Bulldog is proud to be part of this growing movement. As Andrew Donahue, editor of the nonprofit Voice of San Diego, a six-year-old organization and founding member of INN, said in a recent interview, “We’re not some isolated group here in San Diego. We’re actually part of a movement. We’re part of a group of people across the country that are working and trying to build sustainable models in their own community.”
The Austin Bulldog is here to serve this community. We’re just seven months old, a fledgling at this point, and we need community support to sustain our work. We have investigative projects waiting to be funded. You can bring these investigations to life by making a tax-deductible contribution.
—Ken Martin