Freelance Intake
Freelance Investigators & Specialist Contributors
We commission evidence-driven investigative dossiers; not daily news. Our publications are 15,000–40,000 words, built on original reporting, documents, data, and rigorous verification.
If your work relies on verifiable documentation, replicable methodology, and a clear public-interest mandate, we want to hear from you. We do not accept opinion pieces, rewrites, aggregated reporting, or unverified allegations.
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Hover = pause
15,000–40,000
Words per dossier
Evidence-first
Editorial baseline
Right of reply
Required process
Cross-border
Teams as needed
We commission dossiers, not fast posts
A dossier is long because it has to show its work: claims, sources, checks, limits, and replies.
We do not trade in rumor
If a claim cannot be verified to a defensible level, it does not move forward as a commissioned investigation.
We protect sources by design
We avoid exposing high-risk contributors publicly and keep sensitive routing inside secure channels.
We publish across the network
When a dossier is commissioned, it can be released across multiple outlets under agreed attribution terms.
What a dossier is
A dossier is a structured investigative publication that combines narrative, evidence, and verification. Each component below must be defensible and traceable.
Typical dossier components
Each item is a required section-level building block (tailored per project).
Executive Summary
A clean, high-signal summary of what is proven, how it was proven, and why it matters.
Allegation / Claims Map
A structured map of claims: who alleges what, about whom, and what must be verified.
Methodology & Verification Notes
Repeatable steps for checks (records, OSINT, data work) so findings can be reproduced.
Evidence Inventory
A catalog of documents, datasets, and interview logs (public-facing + internal pack as needed).
Chronology / Timeline
A dated sequence of events tied directly to sources to prevent narrative drift.
Stakeholder & Benefit Mapping
Who benefits, who enables, who is harmed—supported with records and traceable links.
Right of Reply
Documented outreach, questions sent, deadlines, and responses handled fairly and accurately.
Limitations & Unconfirmed Areas
What could not be verified, what remains disputed, and why (access, time, risk, evidence gaps).
Appendices
Primary documents, data dictionaries, key excerpts, and any necessary technical notes.
Lead Investigator / Writer
Owns the reporting plan, interviews, document acquisition, and the full dossier draft.
- Typical deliverables: reporting plan, draft dossier, evidence inventory
Researcher / OSINT Specialist
Entity mapping, records retrieval, archive work, OSINT verification with repeatable steps.
- Typical deliverables: entity map, records pack, verification notes
Data Journalist / Data Engineer
Data acquisition, cleaning, reproducible analysis, visual evidence, data appendix.
- Typical deliverables: datasets, analysis summary, data dictionary
FOI/RTI Specialist
Requests strategy, appeals, document processing, disclosure-driven story construction.
- Typical deliverables: request plan, logs, processed disclosures
Forensic Specialists
Finance, corporate, and supply chain tracing that turns suspicion into proof.
- Typical deliverables: ownership trails, anomaly notes, evidence links
Fact-checker / Verification Editor
Claims matrix validation, quote verification, evidence traceability, internal verification notes.
- Typical deliverables: claims matrix checks, corrections list, trace map
Field Producer / Fixer
On-the-ground logistics, local context, interview facilitation, safety coordination.
- Typical deliverables: field plan, safety notes, interview support logs
Visual Investigations / Multimedia Producer
Visual verification, timelines, geolocation support, and publication-ready evidentiary visuals.
- Typical deliverables: visual evidence pack, annotated frames, verification notes
Translation / Localization Specialist
Accurate translation of records and interviews with context notes for editorial/legal review.
- Typical deliverables: translated excerpts, glossary, context notes
Commissioning priorities
We prioritize wrongdoing with a documentable public-interest impact.
The threshold test
A pitch must pass these feasibility and defensibility checks before commissioning.
Corruption, procurement, public finance
Bid rigging, inflated contracts, kickbacks, and unexplained public money flows.
Corporate misconduct, fraud, regulatory evasion
Hidden ownership, falsified disclosures, and schemes designed to bypass oversight.
Environmental crimes, extractives, land and water conflicts
Illegal extraction, licensing abuse, pollution concealment, and impact cover-ups.
Human rights, conflict economies, illicit trade
Abuse networks tied to money, logistics, procurement, or state-enabled impunity.
Disinformation networks, influence operations
Coordinated manipulation with traceable infrastructure, funding, or command pathways.
Surveillance, cyber abuse, transnational repression
Targeting and harassment supported by records, tooling evidence, and corroboration.
Clear wrongdoing hypothesis + public interest
A precise claim about what happened and why it matters—no vague suspicion narratives.
Feasible evidence path
A realistic route to documents, datasets, on-record testimony, or verifiable firsthand reporting.
Verification plan
How each major claim will be proved, falsified, or narrowed with specific checks.
Right-of-reply plan
Who must be contacted, what questions will be asked, and when outreach will occur.
Realistic scope (15k / 25k / 40k)
A section outline that matches the available evidence and does not overreach.
Safety + legal risk assessment
Jurisdiction-specific risks, source protection plan, and escalation triggers.
Choose the safest channel for your material; sensitive items should avoid standard email.
Best default route; supports anonymous submissions and structured intake.
For high-risk material and source-protective file transfer.
Use for initial coordination; keep sensitive details minimal until a plan is agreed.
Only for low-risk context, outlines, and references—avoid sending sensitive originals.
Anonymous pitches
We accept anonymous pitches when the underlying documentation can be independently verified by our editorial and legal teams. If you are anonymous, do not include identifying metadata in files and avoid revealing operational details that could compromise your safety.
Each item below should be explicitly answered in your pitch.
Working title + summary
1–2 paragraphs describing the core issue, the alleged mechanism, and why it matters.
Core allegations / findings
A bullet-style list of what you believe you can prove or strongly corroborate.
Targets and jurisdictions
Entities, sectors, countries, agencies, and any cross-border dimensions.
What you already have
Describe documents/datasets/interviews; don’t transmit sensitive originals unencrypted.
Reporting plan
Records to obtain, interviews to seek, and how you will collect each evidence class.
Verification plan
How each major claim will be corroborated, tested, or narrowed with specific steps.
Right of reply plan
Who will be contacted and at what stage; include planned questions and deadlines.
Risk assessment
Legal exposure, safety risk, retaliation risk, and source-protection considerations.
Proposed dossier length + outline
Pick 15k/25k/40k and provide a section-by-section outline that fits the evidence.
Timeline
Milestones (records, interviews, draft) and a realistic delivery window.
Fee + expenses forecast
Flat-fee expectation and any pre-approval expenses you anticipate (with estimates).
Bio + samples
Relevant work, skills, and clips; if anonymous, provide an anonymized track record.
Evidence standards
We prioritize primary-source evidence (documents, filings, datasets, on-record testimony) and corroborated reporting. Key claims must be supported by traceable source material, cross-verification when possible, and reproducible methods for OSINT/data findings.
Internal pack (required)
These deliverables must accompany the dossier draft for verification and legal review.
Claims Matrix
Claim → evidence → verification status → editor notes; the backbone of fact-checking.
Document Log
What each document is, origin, authenticity notes, and chain-of-custody where relevant.
Interview Log
Dates, mode, consent status, and attribution agreements for every interview.
Right-of-Reply Record
Outreach timeline, questions sent, responses received, and how responses were handled.
Methodology Notes
Enough detail for an editor/fact-checker to reproduce OSINT/data and key checks.
Redaction / Minimization Notes
What was withheld or minimized to protect sources and why (with legal/editor awareness).
For sensitive material or high-risk reporting, use the channels below.
Preferred channel for high-risk documents and source-sensitive files.
Structured intake route designed for secure submission and triage.
Use for early coordination; keep details minimal until a safe workflow is set.
Avoid email for sensitive files
Use SecureDrop or the encrypted tip form for documents, leaks, and identifying material.
Start small on Signal
Open with a short note; don’t share names or identities until safety is agreed.
Strip metadata when possible
Remove hidden file info and avoid re-saving sensitive files on shared devices.
If it feels dangerous, slow down
Pause and ask for guidance before sending; safety overrides speed.
Start with one dossier idea that has a real evidence path. If the idea is strong, editors will discuss scope, safety, and what track support is needed.
One-sentence hypothesis
State the alleged wrongdoing as a single testable claim.
Records plan
List which records you will obtain and the concrete method to obtain each.
Right of reply list
Name the people/entities who must be contacted for fairness and defensibility.
Jurisdiction + risks
Be explicit about where the story sits legally and what the biggest risks are.
Length target + outline
Pick 15k/25k/40k and draft a section outline that matches evidence reality.
Step 1
Intake & triage
Editorial fit, feasibility, and risk are checked before a project moves.
Step 2
Commissioning discussion
Scope, evidence path, timeline, and flat fee are agreed upfront.
Step 3
Agreement + plan lock
We lock the plan so work does not drift or expand without control.
Step 4
Reporting + check-ins
Work happens with scheduled check-ins so gaps are caught early.
Step 5
Draft + evidence pack
Draft is submitted with logs, notes, and the internal verification pack.
Step 6
Verification / fact-check
Claims matrix drives checks so big findings never float without proof.
Step 7
Legal review
Used when allegations are sensitive or anonymity raises risk.
Step 8
Right of reply
Formal outreach is tracked, and responses are handled fairly.
Step 9
Final edits + sign-off
Final checks and a clean sign-off before publication.
Step 10
Network publication
Dossiers publish across the network with follow-ups and corrections if needed.
Investigations can take weeks to months depending on jurisdiction, evidence access, and safety considerations.
Flat fee commissioning
We commission dossiers on a flat-fee basis aligned to scope, complexity, and risk. The fee is agreed before reporting begins.
How fees and expenses work
Each item below is part of the commissioning agreement structure.
Flat fee covers deliverables
Covers the agreed scope, internal pack, and planned editing rounds.
Expenses are pre-approved
Travel, records fees, datasets, transcription, and security needs require approval first.
Kill fee policy applies
If paused/canceled for editorial, legal, or safety reasons, kill fee terms govern payment.
Fee ranges shared at commissioning
Based on 15k/25k/40k length, evidence complexity, and specialist support requirements.
Network publication
If commissioned, you agree that the dossier may be published and republished across our investigative network and media properties, including translations, excerpting, and platform-specific adaptations (audio/video, data interactives), with agreed attribution terms.
Attribution + distribution terms
These are confirmed during commissioning and documented in the agreement.
Exclusivity window
Any exclusivity period (if applicable) is confirmed in writing during commissioning.
Translation policy
Translations may be produced as needed with agreed credits and adaptation rules.
Anonymous bylines when required
For safety, attribution may be “Network Investigations Desk” instead of a personal byline.
Defensible standards for allegations
High-risk claims must be evidence-backed, contextualized, and review-ready.
No unverifiable claims
If we cannot verify to an appropriate evidentiary threshold, we do not publish it.
Right of reply is mandatory
We run a documented outreach process and reflect responses accurately.
Disclose conflicts of interest
Any financial, professional, or personal conflicts must be disclosed early.
Leak handling includes checks + redaction
Authenticity checks, minimization/redaction, and legal review are used as needed.
Anonymity doesn’t lower the bar
Anonymous submissions still require verification and legal defensibility.
A structured format for hypothesis, evidence path, verification plan, and timeline.
Section scaffolding to keep narrative, evidence, and right-of-reply properly integrated.
Tracks claim-to-evidence linkage and verification status for fact-check and legal review.
Standardizes document provenance, authenticity notes, and chain-of-custody fields.
A workflow-ready outreach tracker for contacts, questions, deadlines, and responses.
Ensures OSINT/data steps are reproducible and that limitations are clearly documented.
FAQ
Can I pitch anonymously?
Yes, if the underlying documentation can be verified and legally reviewed.
FAQ
How do I send sensitive material securely?
Use SecureDrop or the encrypted tip form for files, and Signal for early discussion.
FAQ
Do you accept collaborations across countries/outlets?
Yes. We commission cross-border work when the evidence path supports it.
FAQ
What if I only have documents, not a full narrative?
Send a short explanation of what the documents are and what they appear to show, then we discuss scope.
FAQ
Do you fund FOI/RTI costs and databases?
Sometimes, with pre-approval. Include expected costs in the pitch so planning stays real.
FAQ
How long is the process from pitch to publication?
It varies by evidence access, right-of-reply timelines, and safety needs.
FAQ
What happens if key claims can’t be verified?
We narrow the scope to what can be proved, or we stop the commission.
FAQ
What’s your corrections policy?
We correct verified errors promptly and keep the public record clear about what changed.
Pitch a Dossier or Use Secure Intake
Due to volume and security considerations, we respond to pitches we plan to advance to commissioning.