The newspaper is the primary project of a non-profit organization, the Northwest Alliance for Alternative Media and Education (NAAME).

In 2000, investigative journalism by the newspaper uncovered a series of tapes in which the Portland Police Chief at the time, Mark Kroeker, made anti-gay statements ten years before.

[3][4] This was the first in a series of public embarrassments for Kroeker, who was eventually forced to resign as Portland Police Chief in 2003.

[4] The Portland Alliance was nominated for an Utne Independent Press Award in 2003 in the category "Local/Regional Coverage".

[5][6] The paper ceased publishing a print edition in June 2011, but continues to maintain an online presence as of Aug. 2, 2022.