The Marshall Project
The Marshall Project is a nonprofit newsroom covering the U.S. criminal justice system through investigative journalism, podcasts, video series, and print publications. It serves general readers, incarcerated individuals via tablets and prison distribution, and policymakers nationwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What The Marshall Project does
The Marshall Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit newsroom founded in 2014 and headquartered in New York, operating as the only national news organization dedicated exclusively to the U.S. criminal justice system. It employs 75 full-time staff across a headquarters and three regional newsrooms in Cleveland, Jackson, and St. Louis (the latter established January 2025). The organization produces investigative articles, multimedia reports, podcasts (notably 'The Last 12 Weeks' co-produced with Serial Productions and The New York Times), the 'Inside Story' video series distributed to incarcerated audiences, and the 'News Inside' print publication.
Its distribution model is dual-audience: a general public reached via website, email newsletters (delivered through Mailchimp), podcasts, social media, and earned media coverage; plus an incarcerated audience of approximately 273,100 individuals reached through tablet partnerships with Edovo, APDS, PayTel, and Ameelio, closed-circuit television in Illinois and Colorado, and print distribution to 2,167 prisons and jails across 48 states, Washington D.C., Canada, Mexico, and Panama.
The business model is donation-funded philanthropy. The organization explicitly rejects corporate, private equity, and government funding, sustaining operations through individual donors and institutional foundations. Revenue mechanics include a recurring monthly membership program ($15, $25, $50 tiers) and one-time donations. Distribution is amplified through co-publication partnerships with major outlets (NYT, Washington Post, ProPublica, NPR, AP) and through the 'Investigate This!' toolkit program that supplies reporting resources to 20+ local newsrooms. Documented impact includes legislative changes in Ohio and Pennsylvania, court rulings in Iowa and Pennsylvania, and prison-policy reforms in Louisiana, Texas, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The Marshall Project firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Marshall Project
- Legal name
- The Marshall Project
- Website
- https://themarshallproject.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Marshall Project is a nonprofit newsroom covering the U.S. criminal justice system through investigative journalism, podcasts, video series, and print publications. It serves general readers, incarcerated individuals via tablets and prison distribution, and policymakers nationwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Marshall Project industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Investigative Journalism
- NAICS
- Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Human Rights Organizations (813311)
- SIC
- Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations (MPAJADAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Investigative & Journalism Documentaries (MPADADAD), Data Journalism & News Intelligence Publishers (Indexes, Election/Market Data) (MPAJADAK)
Keywords
Where The Marshall Project is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices5 records
Markets served
The Marshall Project business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Philanthropic Donations: The Marshall Project is funded entirely by philanthropic dollars from individual donors and institutional foundations. They do not accept corporate interests, private equity, or government funding. Donations are tax-deductible as they are a 501(c)(3) organization.
- Membership Program: Recurring monthly donations from members at various tiers ($15, $25, $50 per month). One-time donations also accepted.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly membership donation at $15/month level |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly membership donation at $25/month level |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly membership donation at $50/month level |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Marshall Project product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Marshall Project is a nonprofit, non-partisan newsroom that produces investigative, data-driven journalism about the U.S. criminal justice system. It distributes this journalism through a multimedia portfolio including a website, podcasts (e.g., The Last 12 Weeks), a video series for incarcerated audiences (Inside Story), a print publication (News Inside), email newsletters, and topic hubs (The Record). The organization reaches general readers, incarcerated individuals via tablet and print distribution to over 2,100 correctional facilities, and partner news outlets through co-publishing arrangements.
Product overview
The Marshall Project is a nonprofit journalism organization that operates as a multi-platform content publisher focused on criminal justice reporting. Its portfolio consists of the core website publishing investigative articles and investigations, the 'The Last 12 Weeks' podcast produced with Serial Productions and The New York Times, the 'Inside Story' video series distributed to incarcerated audiences via tablets and closed-circuit TV, 'The Record' topic aggregation pages, the 'News Inside' print publication for incarcerated readers, the 'Language Project' series on journalism terminology, a network of local newsrooms in Cleveland, Jackson, and St. Louis, an impact tracking system documenting policy changes, and an email newsletter program. The organization does not offer software products, APIs, or technology platforms.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Inside Story: A video series serving audiences inside prisons and their families, explaining the U.S. justice system from those who lived it.
- News Inside
- The Last 12 Weeks
- The Record
- Life Inside
- Investigate This!
Products and services
- The Last 12 Weeks Podcast A podcast series following defense lawyers as they attempt to stop an execution weeks away. Produced in partnership with Serial Productions and The New York Times, covering the David Wood death penalty case. Targeted at general audiences interested in criminal justice storytelling.
- Inside Story Video Series A video series explaining the U.S. justice system from the perspectives of those who have experienced it. Distributed to approximately 273,100 incarcerated individuals via tablet companies (Edovo, APDS, PayTel, Ameelio) and closed-circuit television in Illinois and Colorado state prisons, reaching roughly 750 facilities.
- News Inside Print Publication A print publication distributed to incarcerated audiences, covering criminal justice topics through news stories, essays, and educational materials. Distributed to 2,167 prisons and jails across 48 states, Washington D.C., Canada, Mexico, and Panama.
- Newsletter Program Email newsletter delivery via Mailchimp providing daily and weekly curated criminal justice news updates to subscribers, including the 'Opening Statement' daily news roundup linking to criminal justice stories from multiple sources.
- Investigate This! Toolkit A toolkit and program helping local newsrooms report on criminal justice topics. Distributes reporting tools and data across 20+ partner outlets including Houston Chronicle, Oklahoman, WBEZ Chicago, and St. Louis Public Radio. Enables distribution of content across multiple regional outlets.
- The Marshall Project Website The organization's primary digital news platform publishing investigative journalism about the U.S. criminal justice system, featuring articles, multimedia content, podcast episodes, and topical navigation across criminal justice subject areas.
Quantifiable outcome
- Ohio passed legislation to end debt-based license suspensions
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use The Marshall Project
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Marshall Project technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
The Marshall Project partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- MS NOWflagshipPartnership with MS NOW for immigration detention coverage within the new 'Connect' weekend show hosted by Jacob Soboroff. The Marshall Project provides editorial expertise and content on immigration detention issues for the three-hour California-originated program.
- Ohio NewspaperscorePartnership with Ohio newspapers to investigate the smuggling of synthetic cannabinoids (K2) in Ohio prisons. The investigation found nearly half of all drugs found in Ohio prisons are suspected synthetic drugs smuggled through mail in legal documents, children's artwork, and clothing.
- Serial ProductionsflagshipCo-production partnership with Serial Productions and The New York Times for the podcast series 'The Last 12 Weeks,' documenting defense lawyers' efforts to stop an execution. Serial Productions provides production expertise, The Marshall Project provides editorial oversight and reporting.
- The New York TimesflagshipCo-production partner for 'The Last 12 Weeks' podcast and ongoing investigative collaborations. The Marshall Project provides specialized criminal justice journalism expertise while NYT provides platform reach and production support.
- Edovo (Tablet Company)coreTablet distribution partnership to provide Inside Story video series and News Inside publication to incarcerated people through Edovo's tablet system in prisons.
- APDS (Tablet Company)coreTablet distribution partnership for delivering Inside Story video content to incarcerated audiences through APDS tablet systems.
- PayTel (Tablet Company)coreTablet distribution partnership for reaching incarcerated populations with Inside Story and News Inside content through PayTel's prison tablet system.
- Ameelio (Tablet Company)coreTablet distribution partnership for providing Marshall Project content to incarcerated people through Ameelio's tablet platform.
- National NewspaperscoreCo-publishing partnerships with major outlets including Washington Post, ProPublica, NPR, Associated Press, and local newsrooms for investigative content distribution.
- Local Newsrooms (Investigate This!)minorPartnership program helping local newsrooms publish criminal justice stories. Toolkits provided to 20+ outlets including Houston Chronicle, Oklahoman, WBEZ Chicago, St. Louis Public Radio.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Marshall Project competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Appeal: Nonprofit news outlet covering criminal justice, policing, and incarceration policy; near-direct competitor in the same beat with overlapping donor audience and policy-impact framing.
- Reveal (Center for Investigative Reporting): Nonprofit investigative newsroom producing accountability journalism including criminal justice investigations through podcast and long-form formats; comparable foundation-funded model and impact-reporting apparatus.
- ProPublica: Independent, nonprofit investigative newsroom producing high-impact accountability journalism on U.S. institutions including criminal justice; the closest structural analog with comparable foundation-funding model, Pulitzer-credentialed reporting, and large partner-media co-publication footprint.
- Type Investigations / Type Media Center: Nonprofit investigative newsroom producing long-form accountability reporting on criminal justice, immigration, and civil liberties; same funding model, donor base, and editorial mission.
- Mother Jones: Reader-funded nonprofit investigative magazine covering justice, civil liberties, and government accountability; comparable donor-driven revenue model and investigative depth, with overlapping coverage of criminal justice and immigration.
- The Intercept: Nonprofit investigative outlet funded by donations and foundation support, publishing adversarial accountability reporting on U.S. government agencies; comparable in nonprofit economics, donor dependence, and emphasis on systemic-justice beats that overlap with criminal justice.
- Injustice Watch: Chicago-based nonprofit investigative newsroom focused on the criminal justice system; comparable mission, funding model, and impact-tracking approach, though geographically concentrated where Marshall Project is national.
Broad incumbents
- The New York Times: Large mainstream newspaper and co-production partner on The Last 12 Weeks and ongoing criminal justice investigations; not a pure competitor but an adjacent incumbent whose platform extends Marshall Project reach while competing for the same donor/reader attention.
- NPR: Public-funded nonprofit news organization covering criminal justice through investigative and feature reporting; partner outlet that co-publishes investigations and serves as a comparable reference point for nonprofit newsroom scale and audience.
Others
- The Marshall Project / Type Media Center organizational overlap: Type Media Center operates as an umbrella nonprofit that has housed The Marshall Project and other journalism ventures; relevant because it represents the parent governance structure that supports the newsroom's funding pipeline.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Marshall Project social profiles
Digital presenceThe Marshall Project financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Marshall Project leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
The Marshall Project subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
The Marshall Project funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Marshall Project M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Marshall Project
What does The Marshall Project do?
The Marshall Project is a nonprofit, non-partisan newsroom that produces investigative, data-driven journalism about the U.S. criminal justice system. It distributes this journalism through a multimedia portfolio including a website, podcasts (e.g., The Last 12 Weeks), a video series for incarcerated audiences (Inside Story), a print publication (News Inside), email newsletters, and topic hubs (The Record). The organization reaches general readers, incarcerated individuals via tablet and print distribution to over 2,100 correctional facilities, and partner news outlets through co-publishing arrangements.
Is The Marshall Project a public or private company?
The Marshall Project is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Marshall Project founded?
The Marshall Project was founded in 2014. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Marshall Project based?
The Marshall Project is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Marshall Project make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Philanthropic Donations are the primary driver. The others are membership Program.
Who are The Marshall Project's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Appeal, Reveal (Center for Investigative Reporting), ProPublica, Type Investigations / Type Media Center, Mother Jones, The Intercept and Injustice Watch. Broad incumbents are The New York Times and NPR. The Marshall Project / Type Media Center organizational overlap is listed as an others.
Does The Marshall Project have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Marshall Project.
What industry is The Marshall Project in?
The Marshall Project's product category is Nonprofit Investigative Journalism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJADAF, Investigative & Nonprofit News Organizations, with a secondary code of MPADADAD, Investigative & Journalism Documentaries. Its NAICS code is 5131 and its SIC code is 2711.