About Us

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Current events underscore the importance of a vibrant press to a healthy democracy. Investigative Post is playing an outsized role in providing Buffalo and Western New York with in-depth, public interest journalism that make for an informed citizenry.

Investigative Post is one of more than 500 nonprofit news organizations that have launched over the past decade across the nation in the face of the decline of local news outlets.

We’re unique in a couple of ways. For starters, Investigative Post is the only news organization in WNY dedicated exclusively to watchdog journalism. We produce fact-based, nonpartisan investigative stories and analyses on issues that matter to the citizens and taxpayers of Buffalo and WNY.

NewsGuard, which reviews and rates news websites for their credibility and transparency, awarded Investigative Post its highest possible score, 100 out of a possible 100, earning a “High Credibility”rating. Only about 10 percent of the more than 12,000 online news and information websites it has reviewed have been so rated. NewsGuard cited our “fact-based” stories and “balanced perspectives.”

Media affiliations

We distribute our work on our website and team with News 7/WKBW, the ABC affiliate for Buffalo. We share selected content with the Niagara (Falls) Gazette and the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle and distribute stories through The Buffalo Challenger.  We also have working relationships with The Intercept and the Investigative Journalism Bureau.

News coverage

We select stories based on their importance and potential for impact. Our aim is to expose wrongdoing, explain complex issues and hold people in power accountable. Much of what we report on would otherwise go uncovered.

We apply rigorous reporting standards to our work and make extensive use of data and documents to supplement interviews and other methods of shoe-leather reporting. We also fact check our stories before publishing.

While we cover a range of topics, our reporting is focused on immigration, urban affairs, criminal justice, economic development and government and corporate malfeasance.

Impact

The quality of our work and the size of our audience means our reporting has impact.

Consider these results:

• Our reporting on the bid-rigging involving the awarding of Buffalo Billion contracts to politically connected companies resulted in guilty pleas by company executives and state officials.
• Our coverage of malfeasance at the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. triggered critical audits conducted by the New York State Comptroller, reform legislation passed by the state Legislature and the resignation of OTB’s president and CEO.
• Our reporting of high lead poisoning rates among inner-city children in Buffalo prompted city and county officials to revise procedures and policies to better target high-risk neighborhoods.
• Our coverage on the unconstitutional practices of a Buffalo Police Department street crime unit resulted in the mayor and police commissioner disbanding the force.
• Our reporting of pollution in Scajaquada Creek triggered action by local and state officials to step up their efforts to stem the flow of sewage and runoff into the creek.

Our work has been cited for excellence in a number of journalism and other award competitions, including Investigative Reporters & Editors and the New York State Associated Press Broadcasters Association. Our reporting has also been recognized by the Edward R. Murrow Awards, the Society of Environmental Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists and the Livingston Awards for Young Journalists. Spree magazine in 2017 honored Investigative Post’s staff as the best print reporters in WNY, citing our “intensively researched stories on vital topics.”

Funding

In addition to fees paid by our content partners, we receive charitable donations from:

• Local foundations, including the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo, the Rowboat Family Foundation, and the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation.
• National foundations, including the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Ethics & Excellence in Journalism Foundation.
• Hundreds of individuals, companies and unions whose donations range from $10 to $25,000. Notable individual and business supporters include Try-It Distributing, the Better Buffalo Fund, Confer Plastics, the Colucci Family Foundation and the Mulroy Family Foundation.

A list of our major donors can be found here.

Events

We sponsor “At Issue,” an event series to inform the public on issues of public importance. Many events involve panel discussions and reporter presentations on issues we cover.

Nonprofit status

Investigative Post is a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News. We’re a 501-c3; all donations are tax-deductible. We’re located at 487 Main St., Suite 300, Buffalo, NY 14203. Our phone number is 716-831-2626.