Membership in GIJN

Membership in the Global Investigative Journalism Network is open to nonprofits, NGOs, and educational organizations, or their equivalent, that actively work in support of investigative reporting and related data journalism. Government entities are not eligible to join. Nor are individual journalists and most for-profit businesses, though we work to support investigative journalists in all sectors.

Investigative journalism is defined as systematic, in-depth, and original research and reporting, often involving the unearthing of secrets and heavy use of public records, with a focus on social justice and accountability. For more on this, please see this article in the GIJN Resource Center.

Membership in GIJN is by application and is subject to approval by the Board of Directors. The GIJN Board typically meets three times per year, so it may take a few months for your application to be considered. If you think your organization qualifies for membership, please fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

For the purposes of GIJN membership, nonprofit organizations include nonprofit and charitable corporations, membership associations, trusts, NGOs, educational organizations, and university-based journalism programs, or equivalent organizations around the world. GIJN currently has 250 member organizations in 91 countries.

GIJN membership is limited to:

• Groups that organize investigative journalists into associations and networks.
• Organizations that sponsor and/or conduct original investigative reporting, either with their own publishing platforms or in partnership with other media, so long as their published or broadcast content includes a significant level of original investigative journalism.
• Groups, centers, and institutions that train investigative journalists as a significant part of their activity.

Prospective members should provide evidence of significant activity in support of investigative journalism through training, promotion, support, reporting, publishing, or broadcasting. As proof that the organization is an on-going entity, GIJN also looks for registration as a nonprofit, full-time staff, an operating budget, and an active website and social media.

There are no fees or dues to join GIJN. Member organizations are expected to participate actively in GIJN, and to uphold the highest levels of journalistic professionalism, including accuracy, independence, transparency, and fairness in their journalism and other activities. Member organizations are encouraged to contribute by sending their staff to the biennial Global Investigative Journalism Conference.

Member organizations which are no longer active or fail to uphold high standards of journalism and nonprofit management are subject to membership revocation by a vote of the Board of Directors.

What GIJN Offers Its Members

• Voting for the GIJN Board of Directors;
• Preferred access to GIJN conferences, workshops, and Help Desk;
• Consulting on sustainability issues, fundraising, reporting, and technology;
• Promotion of your work in multiple languages;
• Access to discounted or free software and databases;
• A chance to be part of a global network promoting investigative journalism;
• Support when members are under attack.

What GIJN Does

• Publishes reporting guides, tip sheets, and stories on the latest developments in investigative and data journalism, new financial and reporting models, and security and legal issues. In 2021 GIJN and its partners published more than 1,000 stories in 20 languages.
• Strengthens investigative networks by linking up journalists online and in person. Backed by 244 member organizations in 90 countries.
• Organizes the biennial Global Investigative Journalism Conferences. Since 2001, working with our partners, GIJN has brought together over 10,000 journalists from 150 countries.
• Organizes the biennial Asian Investigative Journalism Conference, and provides support to regional conferences and workshops in Africa, Latin America, and worldwide.
• Trains journalists worldwide on investigative tools, techniques, and resources through workshops, seminars, lectures, online videos, and webinars.
• Distributes through a dozen daily social media feeds in 14 languages, linking together investigative journalists worldwide.
• Publishes the latest news on investigative journalism — tips and tools, how-to sheets, great stories, new models, and debate on the future of watchdog reporting. Our websites are viewed by people in 140 countries per day.
• Offers a free multilingual Resource Center with over a thousand tip sheets, how-to stories, and videos on reporting tips, fellowships, awards, funding, networking, and more.
• Runs a busy Help Desk for people with questions about investigative journalism, with access to over 100 experts on journalism, nonprofits, security, data, and more. Since 2012 our staff has responded to over 12,000 requests for assistance.
• Posts events on cutting-edge journalism worldwide on our calendar, with more than 50 listed each year.
• Gives out the biennial Global Shining Light Award, for outstanding investigative journalism under threat.
• Provides services to our member organizations, including promotion of their work; access to discounted software; preferred access to GIJN conferences, workshops, and Help Desk; voting for the GIJN Board of Directors and the site of the Global Conference, and support when under attack.

Application for GIJN Membership

To apply for membership in GIJN, please go to this link and fill out the form. Membership is decided by the GIJN Board of Directors, which meets three times per year. Before applying, make sure your organization fits our membership criteria: it must be a nonprofit or educational organization that actively works in support of investigative reporting and related data journalism.