Local journalism is a cornerstone of democracy, and the Tampa Bay Times is working diligently on creating a community where everyone is engaged in — and connected to — our hometown newsroom. Your donations help us give voice to people who are often overlooked and hold powerful people accountable. We are indebted to a community that believes in a strong and free press.

Each year, the Tampa Bay Times takes on ambitious investigations in our role as the community’s watchdog. We are driven by our passion for journalism and by our responsibility to our neighbors.

Poisoned: Times reporters revealed perilous conditions at a Tampa factory, where hundreds of workers toiled amid blinding clouds of lead dust and other toxic chemicals. The Times showed that the Gopher Resource factory had an inferior ventilation system and issued weak respirators that couldn’t protect workers from relentless fumes. Government regulators, meanwhile, had botched inspections, then disappeared for years. In the absence of any oversight, our reporters filled the void, exposing serious problems that no one else would bring to light. The Times’ stories prompted three independent government investigations, additional oversight of Gopher’s environmental emissions and calls for changes to federal rules on pollution and worker safety. The series won the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting in 2022.
Targeted: A yearlong investigation into how the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office uses computer modeling to identify and track people believed to be future crime suspects.
The series exposed Pasco’s reliance on intelligence-led policing, a controversial practice that led deputies to closely monitor 1,000 people, including children. Our reporters discovered that the local school district shared information with law enforcement about students who performed poorly in school or were victims of abuse. Landing on the sheriff’s list of potential criminals often meant targets would receive repeated visits from deputies that some people characterized as harassment. This series of stories won a Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting.
Heartbroken: The Times exposed problems inside the heart surgery unit at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital, where children were dying at an alarming rate. Top-level management left the hospital, families received millions of dollars in settlements, and the governor signed a bill into law to increase oversight of children’s heart surgery programs.
Rising Threat Everyone worries about the Category 5 hurricane hitting Tampa Bay. But what about a potent, but less powerful storm? As sea levels rise, the Tampa Bay Times detailed the immense risks that even a Category 1 hurricane could have around the region. Reporters forged a unique partnership with the National Hurricane Center to model storms in Tampa Bay. The center had never before shared its data with a news organization. The resulting analysis proved ominous and underscores the fragility of our coastal communities. Rising Threat served as a major wake up call for Tampa Bay.
Coronavirus in Florida: We told the story on how the state had — years before — bolstered the health department with resources and specialized workers to combat a potential pandemic. Those efforts would later be dismantled, our investigative team found, by lawmakers worried about costs. Thousands of jobs were cut, moves that would come back to leave Florida unprepared in 2020.
The Forgotten: Nearly 400 people buried in Tampa are missing. Zion Cemetery, the first African-American cemetery recognized by the city, had been erased. Acting on a tip, the Tampa Bay Times investigated what happened to the graves. Archaeologists confirmed our findings. Further investigations by the Times revealed other cemeteries across the region where Black lives had been erased.

Tampa Bay Times Investigative Fund

From exposing the dangers at Florida’s only lead smelter to revealing how a local high school turned a blind eye when its students faced sexual harassment, the Tampa Bay Times investigative team holds the powerful to account. Our investigations have changed lives and led to policy improvements across many levels of government. The team has won Pulitzer Prizes in back-to-back years in 2021 and 2022 – and five Pulitzers since 2014.

Investigative journalism is the most expensive — and some of the most important — work we do. You can help make it possible. By making a commitment, you will create a sustainable impact that will help us empower our community.

To make a donation to the Investigative Fund by credit/debit card, click the button.

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Tampa Bay Times Journalism Fund

The Tampa Bay Times has served this community for more than 135 years. Along the way, our journalism has been honored with 14 Pulitzer Prizes.

To keep delivering top-notch journalism, we need your help.

Our journalists attend town halls and school board meetings, follow activities at the courthouse and hold officials accountable at municipal press conferences. They tell you what performances are coming your way, which restaurants are the best and share compelling stories about people who would otherwise go unnoticed. They have a direct impact on readers’ everyday lives.

Local journalism is essential for healthy communities, competitive marketplaces and a thriving democracy.

To make a donation to the Journalism Fund by credit/debit card, click the button.

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To donate by mail, send your check to:

Tampa Bay Times Investigative/Journalism Fund

℅ Poynter Institute

801 Third Street South

St. Petersburg FL 33701

For help or to learn more about the funds, please contact Annica Keeler at [email protected] or 727-892-2264.

THE POYNTER INSTITUTE IS REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF FLORIDA AS A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION.

EIN: 59-1630423

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION (CH-31400) AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF A CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL FREE WITHIN THE STATE OF FLORIDA AT 800-435-7352.

Thank you to our donors!

Each of you have taken your relationship with the Times to a deeper level. Beyond the financial support, which makes a real difference, your contributions represent a personal commitment to the Times and the work we are doing. We are grateful and honored.

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Read the 2022 Community Impact report here

Cover of 2022 Impact Report
2022 Tampa Bay Times Impact Report

Report for America

The Tampa Bay Times has a partnership with Report for America, a nonprofit founded in 2017 to place journalists in local newsrooms to report on under-covered issues.

Hannah Critchfield
Sam Ogozalek

RFA reporter Hannah Critchfield is covering seniors and aging, and RFA reporter Sam Ogozalek is covering mental health and wellness.

Report for America pays half of the salaries for these reporters. We appreciate community support to cover the other half. If you'd like to help fund this work, please specify Report for America on your donation.