Illinois Answers Project

What Illinois Answers Project does

Illinois Answers Project is a nonprofit investigative newsroom launched in 2023 as the journalism arm of the Better Government Association, a 100+ year-old Illinois government accountability organization headquartered at 223 W Jackson Blvd, Suite 300, Chicago. The newsroom investigates wrongdoing in Illinois government and institutions, follows the impact on affected communities, and reports on solutions — covering government finance, education, equity and economic opportunity, criminal justice and public safety, and environmental issues. Its substantive outputs include written investigative series ('Strapped Down,' 'Underwater in Illinois,' 'Making It in Chicago'), a podcast ('The Madigan Rule'), a weekly email newsletter, and a policy advocacy arm (BGA Policy).

The platform is a WordPress site powered by Newspack, with Mailchimp handling email distribution. Content is published under Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 licensing, enabling free republication by partner newsrooms including Block Club Chicago, Chalkbeat Chicago, Cicero Independiente, and MuckRock. The organization operates without corporate or political affiliations and produces no paid products; all journalism is offered free to the public.

Revenue is generated entirely through voluntary individual donations, foundation grants (including the Google News Initiative/Northwestern Data-Driven Reporting Project, Rita Allen Foundation, Reva and David Logan Foundation, Healthy Communities Foundation, and Reynolds Journalism Institute), and events-based fundraising such as the BGA Annual Luncheon & Celebration held at the Palmer House Hilton. The business model is donor-supported nonprofit journalism with no commercial pricing, no app, and no advertising-driven revenue stream.

Name

Illinois Answers Project

Legal name

Better Government Association

Website

https://illinoisanswers.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1922

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Illinois Answers Project is a nonprofit investigative newsroom operated by the Better Government Association that produces accountability journalism on Illinois government, criminal justice, education, and environment for the Illinois public, funded entirely by donations and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investigative Journalism

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Equity, Inclusion & Civil Rights Reporting (Disparities, Access, Outcomes) (EDADAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Post-Incident Investigation, Root Cause Analysis & Corrective Action Planning (EUAHALAJ)

Keywords

• Investigative journalism
• Nonprofit newsroom
• Accountability reporting
• Solutions journalism
• Public interest media

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individual supporters, ranging from one-time gifts to recurring contributions, collected through the website and at events.
2. Events-Based Fundraising: Revenue generated through paid attendance at events such as the BGA Annual Luncheon & Celebration, held annually at venues like the Palmer House Hilton.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Illinois Answers Project is a nonprofit investigative newsroom that investigates wrongdoing in Illinois government and institutions, follows the impact on affected communities, and reports on solutions. Operated by the Better Government Association (BGA), it publishes free investigative journalism, solutions reporting, opinion columns, newsletters, and a podcast (The Madigan Rule) covering government finance, education, equity, criminal justice, and environmental topics in Illinois.

Product overview

Illinois Answers Project is a nonprofit investigative newsroom operated by the Better Government Association (BGA). The organization operates as a single unified offering focused on accountability journalism in Illinois, comprising core investigative reporting (the newsroom), specialty investigative series (Underwater in Illinois flooding series, Strapped Down restraint chairs series, Making It in Chicago), a podcast (The Madigan Rule), an email newsletter, and policy advocacy (BGA Policy). The newsroom is funded through donations, foundation support, and events such as the annual luncheon. Powered by Newspack publishing platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BGA Policy: Policy advocacy arm of the Better Government Association focused on action and reform
• The Madigan Rule Podcast

Products and services

• Illinois Answers Project Newsroom Nonprofit investigative newsroom publishing free accountability journalism on how power works in Illinois, covering government finance, education, equity, criminal justice, and environmental issues. Operated by the Better Government Association (BGA) and supported by donations and foundation grants.
• The Madigan Rule Podcast Podcast series covering investigations into government finance, accountability, and political power in Illinois. Available via the IAP website and YouTube channel.
• Newsletter Free weekly email newsletter delivering the latest investigative reports, opinion pieces, and community impact stories to subscribers. Distributed via Mailchimp.
• Underwater in Illinois: Responses to Flooding Multipart investigative series examining Chicago and Illinois preparedness for severe flooding, including reporting on infrastructure, community responses, and policy solutions.
• Strapped Down: Restraint Chairs in Illinois Jails Investigative series examining how jail staff use restraint chairs in ways that often violate policies and exceed manufacturer-recommended durations.
• Making It in Chicago Special investigative project covering detours and dead ends on the path to opportunity in Chicago, including affordable housing, education, healthcare, neighborhoods, and economic opportunity.

Quantifiable outcome

• IAP's investigation into restraint chairs in Illinois jails led to broader public scrutiny and reform discussions.
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and secondary.

• Better Government Association (BGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Illinois Answers Project is the investigative journalism arm of the Better Government Association. BGA advances transparency, equity, and accountability through IAP's newsroom operations, policy advocacy through BGA Policy, and community empowerment initiatives. Both organizations share the mission of holding power to account in Illinois. BGA celebrated its 100+ year record at the 2026 Annual Luncheon & Celebration.
• Block Club ChicagomajorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlock Club Chicago is a nonprofit newsroom that co-publishes and co-reports investigative stories with Illinois Answers Project. The two organizations collaborated on major investigations including the 'worst landowner' Suzie B. Wilson story and follow-up coverage of property auctions and city litigation.
• Chalkbeat ChicagosecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerChalkbeat Chicago is a nonprofit education news outlet that co-authored a Chicago school board election investigation with Illinois Answers Project reporter Mila Koumpilova.
• Cicero IndependientemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCicero Independiente is a nonprofit newsroom that partnered with MuckRock and Illinois Answers Project on the collaborative investigation 'The Air We Breathe,' examining air pollution from the Koppers plant in Cicero. The project included data analysis, community reporting, and air quality sensor installation.
• MuckRockmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMuckRock is a nonprofit investigative news organization specializing in FOIA requests and public records. It partnered with Cicero Independiente and Illinois Answers Project on the 'The Air We Breathe' collaborative investigation, providing data analysis of Illinois EPA emissions inventories and federal Toxics Release Inventory data.
• Northwestern University Medill School of JournalismsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedill School of Journalism students and faculty contributed reporting and analysis to the 'The Air We Breathe' collaborative project, providing student journalists and academic research support.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MuckRock: Nonprofit investigative news organization specializing in FOIA and public records. Partnered with IAP on 'The Air We Breathe'; comparable as a donor-funded investigative outlet using transparency tools.
• ProPublica: National nonprofit investigative newsroom funded by donations. Directly comparable as a 501(c)(3) investigative outlet producing accountability journalism with measurable policy impact; differs only in national scope versus IAP's Illinois focus.
• Chalkbeat: Nonprofit education news network with a Chicago bureau that co-reports with IAP. Directly comparable as a nonprofit, donor-funded newsroom; covers education accountability, one of IAP's investigative verticals.
• The Intercept: Nonprofit digital investigative outlet covering government accountability, civil liberties, and criminal justice — overlapping strongly with IAP's stated verticals.
• Injustice Watch: Chicago-based nonprofit investigative newsroom focused on criminal justice accountability. Directly comparable in Chicago geography, nonprofit funding model, and criminal justice investigative beat.
• The Texas Tribune: State-focused nonprofit newsroom producing accountability and policy journalism. Closely comparable in operating model (state-focused, nonprofit, donor-funded, policy-impact oriented), though at larger scale.
• Mother Jones: Nonprofit investigative magazine funded by donations. Comparable in donor-supported investigative model and accountability focus, though operating at national scope rather than state-level.
• The Marshall Project: Nonprofit investigative newsroom focused on criminal justice — the same vertical IAP covers under 'Criminal Justice & Public Safety.' Closely aligned in mission, nonprofit donation model, and accountability framing.
• Block Club Chicago: Chicago nonprofit newsroom that co-publishes with IAP. Same Chicago geography, nonprofit model, and donor-supported editorial mission; serves as both a peer and a primary distribution partner.

Broad incumbents

• Better Government Association: Parent organization of IAP and a 100+ year-old Illinois government accountability nonprofit. Comparable as the broader organization operating policy advocacy (BGA Policy) and investigative journalism (IAP) under one umbrella.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IllinoisAnswers
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrjJFpl6JVeCkUXFST-LRCg
• Facebookfacebook.com/illinoisanswers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/illinois-answers-project
• Instagraminstagram.com/illinoisanswers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Illinois Answers Project