Sunlight Research Center
Our Mission
Sunlight Research Center is a nonpartisan journalism support organization that equips newsrooms to provide their communities fact-based, transparent investigative journalism that holds power to account.
We provide a research help desk and newsroom training, develop reporting resources and nurture peer-to-peer support.
Our Story
Sunlight Research Center started with a simple notion: voters should be armed with trustworthy information to make decisions about candidates and issues that impact their lives. We designed a curriculum to help newsrooms and engaged citizens to deeply research the backgrounds of political candidates.
While training journalists, we identified ways we could boost their capacity to tell these important stories by tracking down documents, analyzing data, sharing research guides and reporting recipes and creating a vibrant community of researchers to share information.
Now, along with journalists and researchers across the country, we are building a collaborative research help desk that supports reporters doing comprehensive investigations and empowering their communities to make informed decisions about their futures.
Ethics & Transparency
Transparency & Independence Policy
Sunlight Research Center is committed to transparency in all aspects of our organization. We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals, organizations and foundations to help with our general operations and special projects. Acceptance of financial support does not constitute actual or implied endorsement of donors, their products, services or opinions. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that operates as a public trust, we do not pay certain taxes. We may receive funds from standard government programs offered to nonprofits or similar businesses. Those who contribute to Sunlight Research Center do so with the understanding that we are only beholden to our mission. Our news judgments are made independently – not based on or influenced by donors or any revenue source. Supporters do not have the right to assign, review or edit our work. We make public all revenue sources and donors who give $5,000 or more per year. As a journalism nonprofit, we avoid accepting charitable donations from government entities, political parties, elected officials or candidates seeking public office. We will not accept donations from sources who, deemed by our board of directors, present a conflict of interest with our work or compromise our independence.
Donor Disclosures
Sunlight Research Center is a 501c3 nonprofit established in 2024. While not obligated to publicly share the identities of our donors, we want to ensure transparency for our partners and the public we serve together. We are grateful for the support of organizations that fund this important work. Supporters since April 2024: John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Jonathan Logan Family Foundation _________ Sunlight Search LLC began in 2023 as a nonpartisan research organization specializing in candidate accountability. That organization received support from organizations and individuals, including some donors who requested anonymity. Sunlight Research Center was established in 2024 as a nonprofit entity to support and expand the investigative reporting infrastructure of under-resourced newsrooms.
Corrections Policy
We are committed to correcting or clarifying errors in a prompt and open manner. To request a correction, contact us using the form below.
Collaborations Policy
Sunlight Research Center is committed to editorial independence and transparency in our work. All collaborations with external partners must align with our mission and maintain our commitment to ethical research and reporting standards. We will establish clear guidelines and expectations with partners before entering into a collaboration and pursue only those projects that advance our editorial mission. This includes discussing and agreeing upon the goals and objectives of the collaboration, as well as the roles and responsibilities of each party. Collaboration partners will be expected to fact check their own pieces and to adhere to the highest journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness. We will have an open line of communication with partners throughout the collaboration to address any issues or concerns that may arise.
Research Ethics Guidelines
Sunlight staff conduct our work with the highest levels of integrity and ethical standards. We adhere to all applicable laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where we operate. We are nonpartisan. We do not advocate for the victory or defeat of candidates. We do not coordinate with political parties or campaigns. We avoid loaded, political, obnoxious, profane, disdainful or hurtful language or personal attacks in all social media activity. We never engage in hacking, illegal data breaches, or any other unlawful activities to obtain information. We adhere to the user agreements of social media platforms used in research. We do not create fake accounts. Our research is accurate and based on credible sources. We maintain clear and transparent documentation of our research methods and sources, and we are prepared to show our work, citing every factual statement. We do not approach people pretextually or misrepresent ourselves or our work. We do not trespass on private property or engage in any activities that violate personal boundaries. We do not “track” candidates or other research subjects. We do not engage in harassment or intimidation of any kind. We do not conduct surveillance. We will not pay for information under any circumstances. We do not comment publicly on the topics we are researching on social media or in any other context. We do not work on assignments with which we have a personal connection or other vested interest. We explore alternative explanations for apparently problematic conduct. We never suppress information that would mitigate potential problematic conduct. We strive to include all relevant context. We aim for fairness as well as accuracy and transparency. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender identity or expression, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, age, veteran status or any other protected characteristic in our research activities. Employees and fellows are encouraged to report any violations of these guidelines to management. Sunlight management will take appropriate action to address any breaches and maintain the integrity of the company.