[16] Defunct Newspapers Journals TV channels Websites Other Congressional caucuses Economics Gun rights Identity politics Nativist Religion Watchdog groups Youth/student groups Miscellaneous Other The Franklin Center was founded in January 2009 with an initial sponsorship grant from the Sam Adams Alliance, a conservative think tank.

[7] In September 2009, the Franklin Center launched Watchdog.org, a network of state-based journalists who investigate and report on state and local government.

[24][25] As of 2013, many officials of Americans for Prosperity, a Koch-affiliated group known for its Tea Party rallies, were leading the Franklin Center, according to The Nation.

[2] Such ideological outlets were described as filling a void when financially struggling daily newspapers were cutting their statehouse reporters during and after the Great Recession.

[2][10] Governing described the Franklin Center outlets in 2014: "Some covered events in a relatively straightforward fashion; others made little effort to conceal their ideological bent.

[28][8][29] By April 2017, the Franklin Center ran just five news bureaus, in Wisconsin, Vermont, Florida, Mississippi and Arizona, at which point it underwent "reorganization".

[36] In the past, the Franklin Center provided training for investigative reporters, state-based news organizations, public-policy institutions, and watchdog groups.

[42] At Conservative Political Action Conference 2013, Erik Telford of the Franklin Center served on a panel discussing "Current trends in technology.

[45][14] The Franklin Center published a series of articles that raised questions about GreenTech Automotive, founded by company CEO Charlie Wang, and its presumed chairman, Governor of Virginia Terry McAuliffe.

[46] The articles focused in part on the company’s reliance on a controversial fundraising program, EB-5, that had been criticized for its lax oversight and subject to abuse.

[60][61][62] In August 2011, Maryland Reporter was awarded a $50,000 grant by the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation to provide "in-depth coverage of Maryland state government and politics and to expand capacity by giving those who plan on entering journalism as a career real-world experience in investigative reporting supervised by veteran journalists.

"[63][independent source needed] Franklin affiliates CapitolBeatOK in Oklahoma, Hawaii Reporter, and the New Jersey Watchdog blog have won awards by from respective state chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists.