Cincinnati Documenters
Signal Cincinnati’s Documenters program trains and pays Greater Cincinnatians to attend local public meetings, monitor our elected officials, and create a new public record.
Join the Documenters Network to get involved!
Documenters keep an eye on local officials
Launched in October 2024, Cincinnati Documenters is the first step in launching Signal Cincinnati, the third newsroom in the Signal Ohio network of independent, community-led, nonprofit newsrooms.
Cincinnati Documenters have taken full advantage of the public’s right to attend government meetings. As of March 2026, Documenters have put more than 153 local government meetings on the record.
Insights from Documenters’ coverage have informed over 100 pieces published by Signal Cincinnati, helping to get vital civic information to Greater Cincinnatians. Their coverage has allowed us to track issues like concerns over immigration enforcement, Cincinnati housing and food insecurity, barriers to Black homeownership in Cincinnati, and Cincinnati City Council’s attempts to reign in data centers.
We’re just getting started.
Cincinnati Documenters is a member of City Bureau’s Documenters Network, part of the soon-to-launch Signal Cincinnati newsroom, and is powered by Signal Ohio.
Civic reporting by Documenters
Programs look to develop more clean energy resources
25 Over the Rhine housing units designed for people with mental health challenges
Cincinnati Public Schools facing budget cuts, wrestling with AI use
3CDC presents plans summer plans to keep residents engaged
Tiny homes for veterans planned for Madisonville
Cincinnati City Council honors community leaders
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Meet Lacey Roberts, Cincinnati Documenters Community Journalism Director
A Cincinnati native and former news anchor, Lacey Roberts joined the Signal team after launching her own media and marketing business.
Her passion for storytelling and community connection brought her back to civic spaces that center engagement and accountability through the Cincinnati Documenters program.
As community journalism director, she leads Cincinnati Documenters and cultivates an inviting space for community members to learn more about their local government, sparking an interest in civic engagement.
Stay informed
Each week, Cincinnati Documenters are paid to attend public meetings held by local government agencies. Documenters take notes on what happens, and their reporting is edited by program staff.
Documenters notes are available for anyone to read and for journalists to use in their work. (Try searching for an agency or topic you want to know more about.)
Become a Documenter
By creating a Cincinnati Documenters account, you’ll immediately be able to register for free workshops and connect with other Documenters across the network.
If you’re interested in covering local public meetings, attend one of our regularly scheduled orientations, and you’ll be certified to apply for paid assignments. Learn more about how to become a Documenter here.
Get involved
Learn more about our work in this ABC News piece on our sister site, Cleveland Documenters!
How to become a Cincinnati Documenter
- Create an account at Documenters.org. Creating an account requires only your name and an email address.
- Once you have an account, fill out the sign-up form linked on your Documenters.org profile page.
- To find the page, click the yellow circle with your initials in the upper right corner of the home page at Documenters.org.
- In the drop-down menu, click “Profile.”
- Click the square pencil icon in the upper right hand corner of the page.
- Scroll down to “Sign-up form” and click the “Edit” button.
- Fill out the sign-up form.
- Attend an Ohio Documenters orientation and note taking training. After attending and taking our “Public Meetings Quiz,” you’ll be able to apply for paid Cincinnati Documenter assignments. Find the next orientation in the “Workshops” at Documenters.org, or in the events list above☝🏿