The Freedom of Information Act allows us — journalists, and you, too — to request information from government agencies and officials. It's public information, and it belongs to you.

However, both the federal and Michigan FOIA laws allow those government agencies and officials to charge us in order to get the records we're seeking. And sometimes, those fees can be hefty.

Want to know the current record for a cost estimate on a single records request made by NowKalamazoo? When we asked a certain entity for emails among its leadership about the firing of a finance official, they wanted more than $12,000 to sort through the records. It's possible to appeal the fee amount a government body wants to charge, but this often requires attorneys and comes with its own cost.

Good journalism and holding public bodies accountable is expensive, but with your help we can keep government transparent.

The Local Journalism Foundation is establishing this FOIA Fund to help defray the costs of seeking information and records that are in the public interest. The fees demanded by public entities should not be the obstacle in bringing important facts or data into the sunshine.

Any journalist or resident in Kalamazoo County petitioning an agency in Kalamazoo County may apply for support from the The LJF FOIA Fund. Applications are reviewed by the board of The Local Journalism Foundation on a per-submission basis. For more information about the FOIA Fund and to discuss a FOIA project, visit The LJF website.

Please consider donating to support The Local Journalism Foundation's FOIA Fund, a pool set up to specifically cover the costs of information requests to public bodies in Kalamazoo County.

The LJF FOIA Fund

Help Kalamazoo County journalists cover costs for Freedom of Information Act requests and related legal expenses

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