IOWA CENTER FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS JOURNALISM

We are guided by our mission, vision and core values:
THE MISSION
To be Iowa’s leading collaborative investigative news organization.
OUR VISION
To lead investigative journalism in Iowa through collaboration, training of future journalists and efforts to increase the understanding of the role of journalism in a democracy.
CORE VALUES
At the heart of the Iowa Center’s work are core values, which are the means by which the Iowa Center will achieve its vision. These values drive how the Iowa Center operates internally as well has how it functions in its external environment.
- Truth: The Iowa Center will ensure that vetted, verified information is at the heart of its work.
- Democracy: The work of the Iowa Center and others similarly engaged is critical to maintaining a well-informed public, productive public discourse, and, therefore, a strong democracy.
- Education: The Iowa Center trains journalists and media organizations in the art and science of investigative journalism, and it educates the public on issues related to media consumption.
- Collaboration: The Iowa Center believes in the power of collaboration—with journalists, media organizations, and other communities.

Our strategic plan, adopted in February 2017, has the following goals:
EDUCATION
• Maintain and possibly expand programs with colleges and universities, and high schools, to train future investigative journalists
• Explore possible Iowa Newspaper Foundation partnerships to work with high school students
• Develop investigative journalism training for current journalists
• Demonstrate how to consume fact-driven news and distinguish fake news
• Develop strategies for combating a current war on media
INNOVATION
• Pursue innovative, disruptive approaches
• Develop a stronger, broader network of individuals and organizations that value, demand, and use Iowa Center products and services
• Develop creative new approaches to fundraising, including new events
SUSTAINABLE FINANCIAL HEALTH
• Develop new product and service revenue streams
• Cultivate relationships with potential long-term funders
• Establish financial thresholds for adding staff roles
• Consider crowdfunding

Our organization has two paid journalism positions, a paid independent contractor and several volunteer journalists and public relations specialists, plus a committed board of directors and several media partners willing to work with us.

The Iowa Center – guided by a Board of Directors comprised of news professionals, educators and business professionals – has developed a network of print, broadcast and online news partners for collaboration and distribution of stories. More than 100 news organizations annually republish or air stories by the Center.

The Center is led by an executive director-editor, who serves as the principal executive officer of the center, the primary contact with the Board of Directors and the public face of the organization.

For more, see our Annual Report.

IowaWatch has published or aired more than 600 explanatory and/or investigative, multi-media stories since its first story on May 29, 2010. It also has published more than 100 stories with nonprofit journalism partners.

In 2017, 120 media outlets published or aired an IowaWatch story 1,475 times. Media partners included The Des Moines Register, The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), The Hawk Eye (Burlington, IA), The Courier (Waterloo, IA) and others; Iowa Public Radio; and a network of 19 other Iowa radio stations. The weekly, statewide IowaWatch Connection radio program won eight Iowa Broadcast News Association awards for its 2017 programs.

Collaborative training relationships involve student journalists from Grinnell College, the University of Northern Iowa, Buena Vista University, the University of Iowa, Iowa State University, Cornell College, Simpson College, Drake University, Loras College, Mount Mercy University and William Penn University.

For more, see our Annual Report.