Adopt a stimulus project

Affirming that "investigative journalism is at risk," ProPublica began publishing a year ago. A nonprofit newsroom in Manhattan led by Paul Steiger (former managing editor of the Wall Street Journal) and Stephen Engelberg (former managing editor of Portland's Oregonian and once an investigative reporter at the New York Times), ProPublica is bankrolled by the Sandler Foundation to the tune of $10 million a year and employs 32 journalists. Stories are offered to traditional news organizations, free of charge, and then appear on the ProPublica website after a period of exclusivity.

Our work focuses exclusively on truly important stories, stories with “moral force.” We do this by producing journalism that shines a light on exploitation of the weak by the strong and on the failures of those with power to vindicate the trust placed in them.

So says the web page. Now comes the ProPublica Reporting Network, led by Amanda Michel, newly hired after serving as editor of the Huffington Post's OffTheBus.

The first assignment for members will be to “Adopt a Stimulus Project,” where people will dedicate themselves to following a local road or bridge reconstruction project funded by the stimulus and to monitor it through its completion. These reporters will be looking to see what is getting repaired, how highly trafficked the road or bridge is, whether companies that receive funds are following environmental and labor laws, how many people are employed by the project, and so on.

“This is precisely the kind of nitty-gritty investigative work that will reveal some surprising facts, but takes time and patience to do well,” said Michel.  “In the process of working with our network members, we’ll take investigative journalism into a new collaborative sphere and help the American people determine where the stimulus program is succeeding and where it’s falling short.”

I signed up and went to the Colorado page, where I found a project in Delta County -- widening Highway 92 between Austin and Hotchkiss, using $11,706,700 in stimulus funds. I was already familiar with the project, which has been slowing traffic for weeks. While before I was grateful that the two-lane road is finally being improved -- and simultaneously annoyed that it was holding me up -- I'll be monitoring its progress now in a more journalistic way. As a volunteer.

The New York Times reports that of the $787 billion stimulus package, only 6 percent of the funds have been paid out.

To sign up for the network, send an e-mail to Amanda@ProPublica.org or visit http://www.propublica.org/special/reportingnetwork-signup to register.