National Freedom of Information Coalition

About NFOIC

The National Freedom of Information Coalition protects the public's right to oversee its government.

NFOIC annually offers some $220,000 in grants to help foster the creation and growth of state FOI coalitions to protect the public's right to an open government, and to assist with projects furthering public access to government records and meetings.

NFOIC's goals are to:

  • start up and support citizen-driven state FOI and First Amendment organizations.
  • foster the exchange of information through networking and the annual conference.
  • provide a collective voice for state FOI groups at the national level.
  • assist fundraising efforts of state organizations, and
  • explore critical issues and make recommendations for individual state actions or collective national action, and prepare educational reports or other publications.

With your participation, we can do even more. See how easy it is to join NFOIC.

NFOIC is supported by a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. Its new headquarters will be possible thanks to the support of the Donald W. Reynolds Journalism Institute.

Bylaws Structure

The Coalition is a loose affiliation of the member state organizations. It meets annually. Each active member organization has one vote. Associate members do not have a vote but are entitled to select a representative to serve on the board as an ex officio member. The Coalition is governed by a board of directors.

The initial board was appointed by Ralph Langer, executive editor of The Dallas Morning News at the time, who was designated as first chairman by a vote of the membership at the founding congress in Washington in January, 1992. That interim group of directors served until a board was formally elected at the first annual meeting on April 14, 1993.

Board members serve three-year terms. The board designates its chairman, who serves for two years and may be reelected for one term. The board meets at least twice a year, one of those times being in conjunction with the coalition's annual meeting. The coalition is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization.

Our History

The NFOIC first met in 1989 in Dallas, Texas. It was called the National Freedom of Information Assembly. The meeting arose out of a need to support specialized First Amendment organizations with the expressed goal to protect the public's right to know. Known as "free standing,'' these organizations began around the country in response to a recognition that government entities and officials were not always willing to recognize the public's right to access public records and meetings, a necessity in a democracy.

The Assembly met again in Dallas in 1991, the 200th anniversary of the Bill of Rights, and planned to meet in January of the next year to formulate a plan for mutual support. At that meeting, the National FOI Assembly was formally renamed the National Freedom of Information Coalition.