The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. Add to that more than 3,000 tipsheets from our national conferences on how to cover specific beats or do specific stories and you have a resource that no reporter or editor should be without. These stories and tipsheets are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Logged-in members can view the tipsheets free online:
Search results for "budgets" ...
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Bulletproofing the Big Story
The tipsheet goes over the best ways organize your story, budget your time and know your sources.
Tags: bulletproof; fact check
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Broadcast: Doing it for free
Do more with less by following these tips, including how to travel on a dime and how to get legal fees covered by your newsroom.
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Getting intimate with government data to produce hard-hitting stories
Torres gives advice on how to dig into government data to leverage stories covering areas such as government budgets, contracts, payroll, campaign contributions, and elections.
Tags: government data; data; federal government; public records
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COVERING THE ECONOMY AND BUSINESS
Johnston links to a number of sites to help you cover the economy and businesses. He includes the Joint (House and Senate) Committee on Taxation, the SEC, and the Congressional Budget Office, just to name a few.
Tags: economy; business; taxes; SEC; government; jobs; unemployment
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Covering Education: When there's not enough time or money.
McBride gives tips on how to cover education and colleges on a tight budget.
Tags: education beat; higher education
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Examining Public Authorities and Local Development Corporations
Local governments "are the fastest growing form of government in the country but remain the least accountable, despite numerous reform efforts." Get valuable tips on how to hold your government accountable.
Tags: local government; budgets; annual reports
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Ten steps for building and maintaining a watchdog culture
This tip sheet is aimed at managers who make the day to day decisions that ultimately determine the success or failure of watchdog efforts."
Tags: watchdog; budgets; whistleblowers
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Lessons learned: From boards to stories to business
This tipsheet outlines "survivor stories" at nonprofit investigative start-ups. They cover topics from editorial challenges to financial issues and administrative and technical challenges.
Tags: nonprofit; investigative reporting; board of directors; start-up; budget; payroll; staffing
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Databases: Investigating Locally and Around the World
Donald's presentation explores the importance of a "data state of mind" for reporters. Beyond knowing FOIA laws, he outlines the (at least) 25 databases every newsroom should have and use in their reporting. The databases cover several different beats, and Donald details the value of each.
Tags: databases; reporting; census data; budgets; audits; tax data; personnel files; campaign finance; financial disclosure reports; voter registration; election results; crime statistics; sexual predators; business demographics; SEC 10K: EDGAR; 990s; EPA Toxic Release Inventory; EPA Enforcements; water quality data;
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Government Waste Initiative
McIntosh addresses the collaborative efforts of the Journal-Constitution, WBS-TV and WBS Radio to cover "questionable government spending, inefficiency and waste." She outlines the documents and public records a reporter should mine when covering the topic of government waste. She also outlines some reporting routines that our beneficial when covering government.
Tags: government waste; public records; budgets; audits; bond issues; expense reports; expense records; lawsuits; salary records; RFPs; RFQs