City Bureau

City Bureau is a civic media lab that designs people-powered journalism practices and supports their local adoption and adaptation across the country.

We envision a world where all communities have the information, tools, and resources they need to navigate their lives, shape their futures, and cultivate a more just and participatory democracy.

City Bureau is a nonprofit civic media organization based on the South Side of Chicago. We bring journalists and communities together in a collaborative spirit to produce media that is impactful, equitable, and responsive to the public.

Since 2015, City Bureau has been at the forefront of a movement to reimagine journalism as a public good. Our programs inform, engage and equip people to strengthen information systems in communities underserved by existing media. These efforts have earned us accolades including the Best Start-Up Award (Chicago Headline Club), Rising Star Award (Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press) and a feature story in POLITICO magazine.