GIJN began in 2003 as a loose-knit network that supported the biennial Global Investigative Journalism Conference. Our community from the start was rooted in a collaborative and generous spirit, with journalists around the world sharing ideas, sources and stories. Both the network and the conferences grew because of this, and in 2012 we launched GIJN's nonprofit secretariat to help manage the conference and the growing number of requests for help. Since then, even we've been surprised at the volume of inquiries that have come in -- nearly 7,000 requests from over 100 countries since 2012. Most of them are for help on reporting and finding colleagues and sources, but others want advice on start-ups and nonprofits, fundraising and fellowships, awards, safety, security, legal defense, and more.

To help deal with the demand, GIJN has reached out to its membership and the hundreds of trainers and experts who have spoken at our conferences. With their assistance, we are creating a global network of experts that serious journalists worldwide can tap into. 

At the same time, we're integrating hundreds of tip sheets, how-to stories, conference videos, and more into the GIJN Resource Center, which is closely tied to the Help Desk. So feel free to browse the library, send us good additions, and let us know if something is out of date. 

And if you can't find an answer to your question, contact us. That's why we're here -- to support investigative journalism. If our staff can't help, we'll send your query out to our experts around the world, and we'll do our best to get you answer. 

By the way, these services are free, thanks to the generous support of GIJN's donors. If you'd like to support the GIJN Help Desk and help expand our global resource center, donations are most appreciated (and may be tax-deductible in the United States). Thanks for your support.