What Wisconsin Watch does

Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization founded in 2009 as a project of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism (WCIJ Inc.), a 501(c)(3) entity headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin with a secondary office in Milwaukee. It produces original investigative reporting on government integrity, education, agriculture and environment, health and welfare, and justice and public safety for Wisconsin residents. The newsroom operates with 11-50 staff and is led by co-founder and Executive Director Andy Hall, Managing Editor Dee J. Hall, and a multimedia team. Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic channels: individual donations, foundation grants (including a $1.4 million grant in 2021 and an $800,000 grant in 2024, both led by American Journalism Project), and tiered membership programs (Watchdog Club, Leadership Circle, Legacy Society). All editorial content is provided free to readers and published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License, with no reader fees, advertising, or subscription paywalls.

The organization's core technology is a portfolio of data-driven news applications and interactive dashboards that make government records accessible. These include the Wisconsin Prison Population Tracker (weekly prison population and capacity data back to 2006), the Statewide Layoffs Dashboard (employer-reported layoff notices since 2018), and a national Immigration Court Data Tracker. Underlying integrations include Stripe for donations, Salesforce for donor and subscriber CRM, Mailchimp for newsletter distribution, Shopify and GravityForms for product sales and forms, and Google Analytics and Parse.ly for traffic measurement. The product portfolio also includes four free email newsletters (Forward, The Wednesday Report, Wisconsin Weekly, Northeast News), the Open and Shut investigative podcast co-produced with Wisconsin Public Radio, a Fact Briefs fact-checking series, the Public Square photography series, and the News414 SMS community information project with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service.

Wisconsin Watch distributes content through its own website and a wide network of approved media partners (Wisconsin Newspaper Association, Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, Associated Press, Institute for Nonprofit News members) that can republish under the Creative Commons license. The organization maintains an editorial firewall insulating coverage decisions from revenue sources, with public disclosure of donations of $5,000 or more and board-level approval of project-specific grants. The organization has accumulated 112+ Milwaukee Press Club awards since 2011 and multiple national recognitions (Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, SPJ, INN, IRE), establishing a durable reputational moat in Wisconsin public-interest journalism.

Name

Wisconsin Watch

Legal name

Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism Inc.

Website

https://wisconsinwatch.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization serving Wisconsin residents with original reporting on government integrity, environment, health, and justice, supported by donations, foundation grants, and memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Grants: Wisconsin Watch accepts gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals and organizations for general support. All donations of $5,000 or more are publicly announced. Project-specific grants require board approval and full editorial control by Wisconsin Watch.
2. Membership Programs: Watchdog Club, Leadership Circle, and Legacy Society membership programs for ongoing supporter engagement
3. Foundation Grants: Major grants from foundations for specific coverage areas including government integrity, environment, education, health and welfare, justice and public safety

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization that produces original investigative journalism on Wisconsin government integrity and quality-of-life issues. It operates a suite of data-driven news applications (interactive trackers for prison populations, statewide layoffs, and immigration court cases), multiple free email newsletters, the Open and Shut investigative podcast, Fact Briefs fact-checking content, and the News414 community information project, all distributed free to the public under a Creative Commons license.

Product overview

Wisconsin Watch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative journalism organization offering a portfolio of news products centered on Wisconsin. The core offerings include investigative reporting across government, economy, education, environment, health, and justice sectors. The organization operates a suite of data-driven news applications that make government data accessible through interactive trackers for prison populations, statewide layoffs, and immigration court cases. Wisconsin Watch also produces multiple newsletters (Forward, The Wednesday Report, Wisconsin Weekly, Northeast News), the Open and Shut investigative podcast with Wisconsin Public Radio, Fact Briefs fact-checking content, the Public Square photography series, and collaborative community information projects like News414. The products work together to fulfill the organization's mission of using journalism to make Wisconsin communities strong, informed and connected.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Open and Shut: Investigative podcast about the power of prosecutors, created in collaboration with Wisconsin Public Radio
• News414
• Forward

Products and services

• Wisconsin Watch News Applications A suite of data-driven interactive tools and dashboards that make government data more accessible to the public, including trackers for prison populations, layoffs, and immigration court cases. For Wisconsin residents, journalists, and researchers.
• Fact Briefs Bite-sized fact checks of trending claims, providing quick investigative verification of public statements and media claims. For Wisconsin audiences seeking verified information.
• Forward Newsletter Weekly preview of what's on the agenda in Wisconsin state politics and why it matters, delivered Monday mornings. For Wisconsin residents interested in state government.
• The Wednesday Report Weekly solutions-focused newsletter covering issues from agriculture and environment to health, justice and safety, delivered Wednesday mornings. For Wisconsin residents.
• Wisconsin Weekly Weekly compilation of Wisconsin-focused stories and investigative reporting from Wisconsin Watch and other reliable sources, delivered Friday mornings.
• Northeast News Newsletter delivering trusted coverage of issues shaping daily life across northeast Wisconsin, from housing and public health to jobs, education and local government, delivered every other Thursday morning.
• Open and Shut Podcast Investigative podcast created by Wisconsin Watch and Wisconsin Public Radio focused on the power of prosecutors and the misuse of that power. For Wisconsin listeners interested in criminal justice issues.
• Prison Population Tracker Interactive dashboard allowing users to explore weekly prison population and capacity data for Wisconsin's correctional system and each facility dating back to 2006. For researchers, journalists, and the public.
• Statewide Layoffs Tracker Searchable dashboard to track layoffs across Wisconsin, drawing from employer-reported layoff notices submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development since 2018, searchable by employer, industry, county and year.
• Immigration Court Data Tracker National data tracker allowing users to explore immigration court cases across the US, including national, state, county and court-level summary details about immigrants placed in deportation proceedings over five years.
• Public Square Photography series featuring community storytelling in Wisconsin, with outdoor exhibitions and panel discussions featuring subjects from the series. For Wisconsin community members.
• News414 Collaborative project with Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service delivering critical information about rental assistance, COVID-19, domestic violence and other issues to Milwaukee subscribers via text message. For Milwaukee residents in underserved neighborhoods.

Quantifiable outcome

• 112 awards from Milwaukee Press Club since 2011
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Milwaukee Neighborhood News ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 May 2026Long-standing collaboration on joint reporting projects, News414 community information initiative serving Milwaukee's underserved neighborhoods, and regular co-publishing of investigative stories. Partnership includes hosting a joint awards event and sharing reporters.
• Wisconsin Public RadiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production of the Open and Shut podcast about prosecutor power, which won regional Murrow awards. Joint audio reporting on health policy, COVID-19, and other investigative series.
• Wisconsin Public TelevisioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding collaborative partner with Wisconsin Watch, working together on investigative projects and content sharing.
• UW-Madison School of Journalism & Mass CommunicationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partnership providing journalism internships, collaborative student reporting projects, and Color of Money series partnership. Journalism Advisory Board includes faculty advisors.
• Twelve Letter FilmsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-produced award-winning documentary Los Lecheros (Dairy Farmers) exploring tensions over undocumented dairy workers, screened at 30+ film festivals.
• CatchLightmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVisual storytelling partnership supporting photography projects including Public Square series and annual year-in-review image collections.
• Sahan JournalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerImmigration coverage partnership sharing reporting on immigration detention and ICE cases in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
• Outlier MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNews414 collaborative project partner for delivering critical information via text message to Milwaukee subscribers about rental assistance, COVID-19, and domestic violence.
• TMJ4 NewsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Unemployment System Collapse investigation which won Walter Cronkite Award. Joint investigation into Wisconsin's outdated unemployment system.
• WNIJ-Northern Public RadiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerJoint reporting on environmental issues including 3M PFAS contamination and Mississippi River nitrate pollution.
• Wisconsin Newspaper AssociationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved media partner for republishing Wisconsin Watch content through member newspapers.
• Wisconsin Broadcasters AssociationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved media partner for broadcast organizations to use Wisconsin Watch content.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• The Maine Monitor: Nonprofit investigative news outlet covering Maine state government and quality-of-life issues. Highly comparable to Wisconsin Watch in scope (single state), funding model (donations and grants), and editorial mission.
• Montana Free Press: Nonprofit investigative newsroom focused on Montana state government, public policy, and accountability reporting. Directly comparable in mission, funding structure, and data-driven reporting approach.
• The Connecticut Mirror: Nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news outlet covering Connecticut state government and policy. Same nonprofit investigative model, same reliance on foundation funding and donations, comparable state-level scope.
• Honolulu Civil Beat: Hawaii-focused nonprofit investigative news outlet covering state government and community issues. Operates with a similar nonprofit foundation-funded model and a comparable state-scoped reporting mandate.
• MinnPost: Minnesota-focused nonprofit online news organization producing investigative and public affairs reporting funded by donations and foundation grants. Operates the same state-scoped, member-supported nonprofit newsroom model as Wisconsin Watch.
• VTDigger: Nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news outlet covering state government and public policy in Vermont. Closely mirrors Wisconsin Watch's model: state-focused, nonprofit, foundation- and donor-funded, award-winning investigative reporting on government accountability.
• Nevada Current: Nonprofit state-focused digital news outlet covering Nevada government and politics, funded through donations and foundation grants. Closely aligned with Wisconsin Watch's nonprofit, state-scoped, accountability-focused mission.
• NJ Spotlight News: Nonprofit investigative news organization covering New Jersey state policy and government. Same funding mix (grants, donations, memberships) and same state-focused, accountability-driven reporting mandate.

Broad incumbents

• CalMatters: Larger, well-established California-focused nonprofit news outlet covering state government and policy. Comparable mission and funding model; broader scope and significantly larger staff and budget put it several steps ahead of Wisconsin Watch in scale.
• The Texas Tribune: Major nonprofit, nonpartisan digital news outlet covering Texas state government and policy. Same nonprofit state-focused model and foundation funding base, but at materially larger scale than Wisconsin Watch.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/wisconsinwatch
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@WisWatchVideos
• Facebookfacebook.com/wisconsinwatch
• Instagraminstagram.com/wisconsinwatch
• TikToktiktok.com/@wisconsinwatch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Watch