Watchdog.org Competitors

ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that produces investigative journalism with moral force. We dig deep into important issues, shining a light on abuses of power and betrayals of public trust — and we stick with those issues as long as it takes to hold power to account. With a team of more than 150 dedicated journalists, ProPublica covers a range of topics including government and politics, business, criminal justice, the environment, education, health care, immigration, and technology. We focus on stories with the potential to spur real-world impact. Among other positive changes, our reporting has contributed to the passage of new laws; reversals of harmful policies and practices; and accountability for leaders at local, state and national levels. Investigative journalism requires a great deal of time and resources, and many newsrooms can no longer afford to take on this kind of deep-dive reporting. As a nonprofit, ProPublica’s work is powered primarily through donations. The vast bulk of the money we spend goes directly into world-class, award-winning journalism. We are committed to uncovering the truth, no matter how long it takes or how much it costs, and we practice transparent financial reporting so donors know how their dollars are spent. ProPublica was founded in 2007-2008 with the belief that investigative journalism is critical to our democracy. Our staff remains dedicated to carrying forward the important work of exposing corruption, informing the public about complex issues, and using the power of investigative journalism to spur reform.

Mother Jones is a nonprofit, reader-supported newsroom founded in 1976 that reaches millions of people each month across our website, social media, videos, newsletter, and print magazine. Mother Jones is produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting, which also produces Reveal, the weekly investigative radio show and podcast. Our newsroom investigates the big stories that may be ignored or overlooked by other news outlets, including about democracy and voting rights, racial justice, reproductive rights, and food and agriculture. We are America’s oldest investigative news outlet, and are based in San Francisco with bureaus in Washington, DC, and New York. We are an independent newsroom (meaning we don’t have any corporate owners), and are accountable only to you, our readers. Our mission is to deliver hard-hitting reporting that raises awareness and inspires change. You may follow us on the web, social media (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, Threads, LinkedIn), YouTube, and Apple News, and the award-winning magazine is available on newsstands and through print and digital subscriptions.

Ballotpedia is the online encyclopedia of American politics and elections. Our goal is to preserve and expand knowledge about politics by providing exceptionally high-quality, accurate, and objective information about local, state, and federal politics and policies. Our content includes neutral, accurate, and verifiable information on government officials and the offices they hold, political issues and public policy, elections, candidates, and the influencers of politics. Headquartered in Middleton, Wisconsin, Ballotpedia was founded in 2006. It has grown to include over 400,000 professionally authored encyclopedic articles that have garnered more than 1 billion page views.