STAND WITH THE INSTITUTE

Support Our Work

We take no government money. We answer to no party. We are funded by the citizens we fight for — and that is the only reason our findings cannot be bought.

Why Independence Is the Whole Point

Every accountability organization faces the same question: who funds you, and what do they expect in return? For the Local Government Accountability Institute, the answer is deliberate and permanent. We do not accept government grants. We do not accept money from political parties, candidates, or political action committees. We do not sell our research, and we do not take contracts from the governments we investigate.

That is not a limitation. It is the entire design. An accountability institute that depends on government funding cannot credibly audit government. An institute funded by a political party produces findings that the other party can dismiss. The moment our independence is compromised, our findings are worthless. So we protect it absolutely — and that protection depends on citizens.

What Your Support Funds

Contributions to the Institute pay for the work itself:

Public records acquisition — the fees, requests, and document costs of obtaining budgets, contracts, and disclosures from local governments.

Forensic research — the analyst time required to turn thousands of pages of records into sourced, verified findings.

Publication and dashboards — the permanent, searchable public record of every investigation, free for any citizen, journalist, or candidate to use.

Methodology and training — documenting the Six-Pillar framework so citizens in any community can demand the same scrutiny, or do the work themselves.

Tax Status — Full Disclosure

Local Government Accountability Institute, Inc. is a Wyoming nonstock nonprofit corporation organized under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code as a social welfare organization. Because of that status, contributions to the Institute are NOT tax-deductible as charitable donations. We state this plainly and up front. The 501(c)(4) structure is what gives the Institute maximum independence — it is not constrained by the donor-restriction and reporting requirements that can compromise editorial freedom — and we believe that independence is worth more to our mission than a tax deduction.

How to Support the Institute

A formal contribution portal is being established. In the meantime, supporters who wish to be notified the moment it opens — or who wish to discuss a significant contribution directly — can reach the Institute's development office.

Contact the Development Office

The corrupt have always had funding. The good-old-boy networks have always had funding. For the first time in a long time, the citizens who pay for all of it have an institute of their own. Keep it independent. Keep it in the fight.