About Freedom of the Press Foundation

Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) is a non-profit organization that protects, defends, and empowers public-interest journalism in the 21st century.

About the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker is a news website and database that comprehensively documents press freedom incidents in the United States. It is operated by Freedom of the Press Foundation, in partnership with the Committee to Protect Journalists, and a coalition of press freedom organizations.

Our work is the foundation for data-driven information about U.S. press freedom violations, cited in news stories, in legislation and used by advocacy groups.

Project Brief: U.S. Press Freedom Tracker Site Redesign

The U.S. Press Freedom Tracker launched in 2017 as a database of press freedom incidents and has become the primary source of information about such incidents in the United States. We’re looking for a team to assess how the vision and real-world use of the tracker has changed over time and realign the site design and branding accordingly. Here’s what we know we want so far:

Goals

• Data exploration: Create a user-friendly interface for journalists and researchers who want to search incidents, perform data analysis or explore visualizations
• Reading experience: Improve reading experience, accessibility, and information architecture across the site
• Storytelling: Put incidents into context and tell stories that span multiple incidents along key narrative themes (e.g., racial justice protests)
• Brand: Create a recognizable brand for the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker, with multiple brand elements that can be used for promotional purposes, including on social media

Scope of Work

• Conduct stakeholder interviews
• Present exploratory designs and ideas
• Deliver assets, wireframes, and other design components for implementation in partnership with the web team
• Participate in technical implementation as agreed upon

Project Timeline

• July 30, 2021: Proposals due
• Mid-August: Project kick-off
• December: Design/development complete
• March 2022: Site relaunch

Budget Range

We have budgeted $40,000 to $50,000 for this project.

Submission Instructions

Please send your submission to <[email protected]>. As part of your submission, please provide:

• Example websites and references
• Team bios
• An overview of your team’s process
• Examples of experience working on open-source projects, if available

Initial suggestions and observations regarding potential improvements to the U.S. Press Freedom Tracker are welcome, but not required.