FROM NOTES TO NEWS
Read meeting summaries and reporting that used Kansas City Documenters’ notes as a source
What is Kansas City Documenters?
Hosted by The Beacon and originally created by City Bureau in Chicago, Documenters is training and paying community members to take notes at public meetings in Kansas City, Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri.
How does it work?
Documenters earn $20 an hour to attend a public meeting and take notes. These notes are fact-checked and edited by The Beacon staff. Select notes are published at documenters.org and all notes are made available at documenters.org.
Our goals are to improve government transparency, make sure important decisions reach the people most affected and build stronger connections between residents, public institutions and local newsrooms.
Stay informed about local public meetings. Sign up for the Kansas City Documenters newsletter:
How to become a Kansas City Documenter
The Beacon will train and pay you to attend public meetings and share what happened with fellow Kansas Citians.
Questions? Email documenters@thebeacon.media.
Step 1: Create an account
Create an account on documenters.org. This step requires only your name and an email address.
Step 2: Fill out your profile
Once you’re signed in, click the yellow circle with your initials in the upper-right corner. Select “Profile” → Edit “Personal Details” → Save.
Step 3: Attend an orientation
The last step to becoming eligible for a paid assignment is attending a Kansas City Documenters orientation. After that, you’ll be able to apply for paid assignments, and you’ll receive compensation for the orientation along with your first assignment. Click the button below to see when the next Kansas City Documenters orientation is scheduled. Our next orientations will be hosted in Spring 2026.
A New Backbone for Civic Coverage
Documenters’ notes strengthen reporting across the region by making local decision-making more transparent and accessible. As this public record grows, newsrooms across the region will be able to use these notes to inform their coverage and surface stories in communities that often go untold.
Want to support this work? Become a member of The Beacon today.
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