City Bureau’s Documenters Network: People-powered news and information
Who we are
A network of newsrooms and community organizations committed to participatory civic media.
What we do
We train and pay hundreds of people to attend under-reported public meetings and publish the results.
The Future is Informed
Your elected officials are making big decisions. Keep tabs with regular notes, real-time social media updates, and multimedia reports from Documenters in your area. Together, we’re building a new public record.
Chicago
Finance
April 16, 2025
Chicago City Council [remote or in person] Joint Committee: Finance; Housing & Real Estate
Live reporting by
Chicago
Finance
April 14, 2025
Chicago City Council [remote or in person] Joint Committee: Finance; Housing & Real Estate
Live reporting by
Chicago
Finance
April 9, 2025
Chicago City Council [remote or in person] Joint Committee: Finance; Housing & Real Estate
Live reporting by
Chicago
Health
April 4, 2025
Cook County Board of Commissioners [remote or in-person] Board of Directors of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System
Notetaking by
Bailey Hosfelt
Chicago
Health
April 4, 2025
Cook County Board of Commissioners [remote or in-person] Board of Directors of the Cook County Health and Hospitals System
Live reporting by
Charlene Rhinehart
Chicago
Utilities
April 3, 2025
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago [remote or in person] Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners
Live reporting by
Natalie Frank
Chicago
Utilities
April 3, 2025
Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago [remote or in person] Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Board of Commissioners
Notetaking by
Chicago
Criminal Justice
March 27, 2025
Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability [in person] Monthly Public Meeting - Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA)
Notetaking by
Stephen Simpson
Chicago
Development
March 24, 2025
Chicago Housing Authority [remote or in person] Chicago Housing Authority Board of Commissioners
Notetaking by
Democracy is What You Do
Get involved in our community of practice.
A unique civic education
“How are your tax dollars spent? What are your elected officials doing? Are they listening to you? What is the process? That, as a Documenter, is what you have to show people.”
Susan Carlotta Ellis
Community reporting
“In almost every case for a meeting that I’ve covered, I’ve been the only person connected to the media that has been in the room.”
David Palmer
Local connections
“I've learned from other Documenters… I’ve learned skills that helped me to not just be a better citizen but also inform the type of work that I want to do.”
Isabel Sophia Dieppa
About City Bureau’s Documenters Network
How our public meeting coverage supports local reporting.
How our public meeting coverage tracks policy trends and public input.
How our training modules build civic knowledge and action.
How anyone can become a Documenter in one of our local programs.