What Does PolitiFact Do?

Total employees25
HeadquartersSt. Petersburg
Founded2007

PolitiFact is an American nonprofit fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. It was created by the Tampa Bay Times newspaper in 2007, and is now operated by the Poynter Institute, a nonprofit journalism school in St. Petersburg, Florida. PolitiFact journalists research and rate statements on their 'Truth-O-Meter,' with ratings ranging from 'True' to 'Pants on Fire.' The organization won the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting in 2009 for its fact-checking coverage during the 2008 presidential election. Its mission is to give citizens the information they need to govern themselves in a democracy.

Where Is PolitiFact's Headquarters?

HQ Function

Serves as the central hub for PolitiFact's editorial operations, research, fact-checking processes, and national content production.

Notable Features:

Located within The Poynter Institute, a respected center for journalism education and ethics, providing a strong foundation for journalistic integrity.

Work Culture:

Characterized by a rigorous commitment to accuracy, impartiality, transparency, and journalistic ethics. The environment is collaborative, deadline-driven, and focused on public service.

HQ Significance:

The St. Petersburg headquarters is the birthplace of PolitiFact and remains its operational core, guiding its national fact-checking efforts and upholding its journalistic standards.

Values Reflected in HQ: The headquarters' association with Poynter reflects PolitiFact's core values of independence, accuracy, fairness, and dedication to informing public discourse.

Location:

While PolitiFact's primary focus is on United States politics and discourse, its methodology and impact are recognized internationally. Its website is globally accessible, and its work often informs international audiences about U.S. political claims. PolitiFact has also inspired and sometimes partnered with fact-checking organizations in other countries, contributing to the global movement against misinformation. They occasionally fact-check claims involving U.S. foreign policy or international figures whose statements impact American audiences.

Street Address:

801 3rd St S

City:

St. Petersburg

State/Province:

Florida

Country:

USA

Where Else Does PolitiFact Operate Around the World?

Washington, D.C., USA

Address: The Poynter Institute, 1000 Vermont Ave NW, Suite 710, Washington, DC 20005, USA

Enhances PolitiFact's ability to fact-check claims originating from the federal government and national political figures, providing timely analysis from the nation's capital.

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Who's Leading PolitiFact? Meet the Executive Team

As of April 2025, PolitiFact' leadership includes:

Katie Sanders - Editor-in-Chief
Shani Chitnavis - Managing Editor
Neil Brown - President, Poynter Institute (Parent Organization)
Angie Drobnic Holan - Director, International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) at Poynter & Editor Emerita, PolitiFact

Who's Investing in PolitiFact?

PolitiFact has been backed by several prominent investors over the years, including:

The Poynter Institute (as a non-profit owner and primary funder)
Various philanthropic foundations (e.g., Google News Initiative, Charles Koch Foundation, Ford Foundation - grants may vary year to year)
Individual donors and members supporting PolitiFact's mission
Earned revenue from content licensing and partnerships

What Leadership Changes Has PolitiFact Seen Recently?

Hire0
Exits0

As of mid-2024, there have been no widely publicized major changes (hires or exits) at the very top executive leadership level (Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor) of PolitiFact itself in the last 12 months. Leadership has been relatively stable. Changes within the broader Poynter Institute might occur but are not specific to PolitiFact's direct operational leadership unless stated.

What Technology (Tech Stack) Is Used byPolitiFact?

Discover the tools PolitiFact uses. Highperformr reveals the technologies powering your target accounts — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams prioritize smarter and close faster.

PolitiFact Email Formats and Examples

PolitiFact is part of The Poynter Institute. Emails for PolitiFact staff typically use the @poynter.org domain. Common formats include the first initial followed by the last name, or sometimes first name.last name.

[first_initial][last]@poynter.org

Format

ksanders@poynter.org

Example

80%

Success rate

What's the Latest News About PolitiFact?

Poynter InstituteFebruary 20, 2024

PolitiFact and Univision News partner to produce Spanish-language fact-checks for U.S. Latinos

PolitiFact and Univision News announced a new partnership to deliver fact-checks in Spanish to U.S. Latino audiences, aiming to combat misinformation within this demographic, particularly during election seasons....more

Poynter InstituteSeptember 12, 2023

PolitiFact continues to evolve, using AI to help with fact-checking

PolitiFact is exploring and integrating AI tools to enhance its fact-checking capabilities, helping journalists to more efficiently identify and research claims, though human oversight remains crucial for final verification and rating....more

PolitiFactMay 1, 2023

PolitiFact joins the Bluesky social media platform

PolitiFact announced its presence on Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform, as part of its efforts to reach audiences and share fact-checks across various online spaces....more

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