About Us

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 450 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.

We’re also the only news outlet in WNY whose work appears on all the major publishing platforms: print, television, radio and the web. That puts us in the forefront as media outlets adapt to changing technology and audience habits.

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 distribute stories through The Buffalo Challenger. Our reporters occasionally appear on The Capitol Pressroom, heard on 20 public radio stations around the state, including WBFO.

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 vigorously fact check our stories before publishing.

While we cover a range of topics, our reporting is focused on the environment, criminal justice, economic development, education 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 awarding of Buffalo Billion contracts to politically connected companies prompted a federal investigation lead by U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and the eventual conviction of senior state officials and developers who had contributed to Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
Our coverage of malfeasance at the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corp. triggered critical audits conducted by the New York State Comptroller, an ongoing investigation by the FBI and reform legislation passed by the state Legislature.
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, the Margaret L. Wendt Foundation and the M&T Charitable 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, Savarino Companies and Sam Magavern and Monica Angle.

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.