About The Jersey Vindicator
The Jersey Vindicator is an independent, nonprofit newsroom that investigates government, policy, and power in New Jersey, and explains how decisions made in Trenton, state agencies, and local communities affect the people who live here.
We follow public money, examine how government operates, and investigate what happens when public institutions fail to be transparent or accountable. We also translate complicated policies and systems into plain English so residents can understand what is happening, why it matters, and how it may affect them.
Our reporting is free to everyone, with no paywall.
What we do
The Jersey Vindicator produces:
- investigative and accountability reporting that uncovers problems and presses public officials and institutions for answers
- plain-English explainers that make government policies, legislation, and public systems easier to understand
- public-service journalism that gives residents information they can use
- searchable civic databases and tools that make public information more accessible
- sustained coverage of important issues that might otherwise receive little public attention
Our reporting focuses on state government and the decisions that shape everyday life in New Jersey, including housing and affordability, taxes, education, health care, infrastructure, energy and the environment, criminal justice, immigration, voting rights, and government transparency.
Our goal is to give residents the facts, context, and tools they need to understand how New Jersey works and to hold the people and institutions with power accountable.
Why we exist
Decisions made by New Jersey government officials affect nearly every part of residents’ lives, from how much they pay for housing and utilities to the quality of their schools, transportation, health care, and public services.
Yet many consequential decisions are made with limited public scrutiny. As local newsrooms shrink and fewer reporters cover government, important stories go unreported, complicated policies go unexplained, and accountability gaps grow.
The Jersey Vindicator was created to help fill those gaps. We focus on statewide issues that cross municipal and county lines and pursue the kind of reporting that requires time, persistence, subject-matter knowledge, and public-records expertise.
Our independence
The Jersey Vindicator is published by the New Jersey Center for Nonprofit Journalism. Our journalism is nonpartisan and editorially independent.
We do not accept funding from political parties, candidates, or campaigns. Our work is supported primarily by readers, along with grants. Donors and funders have no role in selecting, reviewing, or approving our stories.
While our application for federal 501(c)(3) status is pending, The Jersey Vindicator is fiscally sponsored, allowing contributions to our newsroom to be tax-deductible.
Reader support helps us keep our reporting free, pursue stories wherever the facts lead, and remain accountable to the public we serve.
Who we are
The Jersey Vindicator is produced by a small team of reporters, editors, and visual journalists with deep experience covering New Jersey. We also work with freelance journalists and contributors to expand our coverage of communities and issues across the state.
We are united by a belief that people deserve accurate, accessible journalism about the institutions and decisions that shape their lives.
Stay connected
Read our reporting, subscribe to The Vindicator Brief, explore the resources in our NJ Public Toolbox, follow us on social media, and reach out if you have feedback or story ideas. We read every email.