by Tegan Jones, editor

As news stations struggle to report the news with smaller staffs and tighter budgets, many journalists worry that complex, time-intensive stories will get lost in the shuffle.

To help keep investigative journalism strong, at least on a national level, the online news site The Huffington Post has partnered with The Atlantic Philanthropies and other donors to launch an independent reporting initiative.

The newly formed Huffington Post Investigative Fund will use a starting budget of $1.75 million to hire 10 staff journalists who will also coordinate with freelancers. When the stories are finished, any print or online news source will be free to run the piece at the same time it is posted to The Huffington Post.

Initially, the fund will focus on stories related to the economy, focusing largely on private industry and government institutions, in the style of a national newspaper. But because of the nonprofit interests involved, it must be more diligent than private papers to be sure each story is reported with an open mind, Nick Penniman, the fund's executive director told the Associated Press.   

While this is a great step toward protecting investigative reporting, local news needs the support of nonprofit partnerships, as well. As local stations merge and papers disappear, reporters are less equipped to dig deeper into stories that deserve a second look.

Currently, a few notable journalism foundations, such as the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, do offer support for local outlets looking to run investigative pieces, but the extended grant application process often makes it difficult to apply those funds to time-sensitive stories.

Is there a better way? With the tools at their disposal, local electronic journalists have the capacity to produce packages as hard-hitting as anything that airs on a national level. While cracking the next Watergate is every Washington reporter’s dream, watchdog journalism is just as critical on a community level.

The funding for these local initiatives, however, may be much harder to come by. But opportunities are out there.

Share your story: What nonprofit partnerships does your area have to offer?