Frankam?mier fm Wham Eniegri?iy 10? S. West St, Suite 718 Aiexandria, VA 22314 CQNTACT: Ms. Nicole Neiiy $100900 $90,000 PRGJ TITLE: To support Wisconsin Watchdog EOARB MEMBERS WETH REQUEST: Janet Riordan MEETENG SATE: 8/1632015 mm: 20160408 encaseouno: The Franklin Center for Government and Public Integrity was founded to exploit the gap in iocal news reporting that resulted from the consolidations, mergers and cut-backs in traditional newspapers around the country. The idea was that state capitai-based reporters would cover the loss! government news that no one else could cover, and would consequently buiid a new and vital unbiased news source that couid be picked up by smelter news outlets around the state and around the country. in Wisconsin, that modei worked. Wisconsin Watchdog (formerty Wisconsin Reporter) has become an important part of the conservative information infrastructure in the state. its editor and primary reporter, Matt Kittie, has made a name for himself for his aggressive investigative reportingw-notably on the John Doe investigations and the Tomah Veterans' Administration scandalwand for his wiltingness to wort?: with other conservative resources Mr. Kittie appears regularly as a guest on radio and television news shows, and occasionatly hosts as wait. Wisconsin Watchdog has earned grudging respect from traditionat news sources, and is now accepted as a member of the press corps in Madison. Wisconsin Watchdogs stories are regularly picked up nationally by major news sources including the AP, Nationai Review, Rest Clear Poiitics, and The Harrington Post. Somewhat ironically, given its origins, the national organization has not had as much success. In what must be a textbook case of imprudent funding, the Franklin Center has been decimated by a series of bad decisions. Unable to resist the offer of annually from one source, the organization grew beyond its capacity to manage itself, and became too dependent on one funder, making it able to shrug off criticism from elsewhere (including Bradley). Last year, when that tunder shifted priorities and the tecklessness of the administration became evident, the organization began to coilapse. From more than twenty state offices, Frankiin Center is down to five, among them Wisconsin. New management and a newly constituted board have made the strategically imperative decisions to cut back and focus on the remaining effective offices. This winter, a new CEO was appointed to pick up the pieces and build anew. A grant of $100,000 is requested to support the work of Wisconsin Watchdog. STAFF RECQMMENDAWON: CEO Nicolie Niely appears to be a welt?intentioned person of integrity, but she has a massive clean-up and rebuilding project ahead, and it is notclear whether she is getting good advice. in the process of the transition, Frankiin Center lost mostof its top people, who, in an act of admirabie disinterest, eiiminated their own positions to save the organization. These inciuded some outstanding editorial taient. It is not ciear whether Ms. Niely is up to the job, but because Wisconsin Watchdog is so effective, and such a valuable partner in the state's conservative infrastructure, staff believes it is to support the local office, even as it watches the nationai office closely, and with some skepticism. With luck, Wisconsin might be a model for the organization's future. A grant of $90,000, solely for the work in Wisconsin, is recommended. Siam Hisiory sm ?ogom "Two {3mm ?mount ?ppmvo? Funs? To suppori' Wisconsin Watchdog $90,,000 1 {?10320} 5 RegaEar To support the Thorn as L. Rhodes Journakism $50,006 REEBEQOH Rogoiar Fellowship at National Roviow To support the ?l?homas L. Rhodes Jounmiism $50,000 8/39r'2014 Reguisr Fellowship at National Roviow To support 1116 Wisconsin Reporter $.31 ?2014 Roguisr To support the Thomas L, Rhodos Journalism Regular Feliowship To support {he Thomas L, mimics .?ioumalism $50,000 6f?z?l? :2 Regular Fol?owship To support the Wisconsin Reports-3? $190,000 2/2 SIZES E2 Roguiar To support the 'ff?homas L, Rhoda?s Jimz?nai?sm $58,080 53? 10:20} 1 Rogaiar Fol'iowship To support stats?based reporting efforts in Wisconsin 33 90,5 {.18 8fl7f201 0 Regular grass Tota?s (9 items) $95,500 Page of?