The Assembly

The Assembly is a digital news organization based in North Carolina, United States, launched in February 2021. It was founded with the aim of producing ambitious, challenging journalism about North Carolina and building a sustainable business model to support that work. The publication focuses on deep reporting about power and place in the state, covering politics, courts, higher education, culture, and accountability. Its stated editorial stance is to tell compelling and nuanced stories "without fear or favor to any party or power structure." Since its launch, The Assembly has hired a team of journalists and editors across North Carolina, giving them space to pursue ambitious and thoughtful reporting. The outlet produces a mix of daily and in-depth articles, newsletters, and voter guides. Its coverage has included investigations into state politics, criminal justice, and major news events, often in partnership with other nonprofit newsrooms such as The Marshall Project. The Assembly also operates a statewide newsletter that delivers reporting to subscribers' inboxes every weekday. The Assembly's business model combines initial investor backing with philanthropic support and reader funding. In 2024, it received a catalytic grant from the Knight Foundation that accelerated its growth across the state. It has since raised funds from individuals and foundations, and it maintains a disclosure policy for donors who give $10,000 or more over a twelve-month period. The organization does not solicit anonymous contributions and aims to become a self-sustaining, reader-funded network. As a relatively young but growing news brand, The Assembly positions itself as a source for readers who want to truly understand North Carolina's triumphs, challenges, and complexities. It competes in the nonprofit and digital news space, differentiating itself through a focus on statewide, in-depth storytelling rather than breaking news alone.

The Assembly launched in February 2021 with the goal of telling ambitious, challenging stories about North Carolina and building a sustainable business plan to support that work. From the outset, it positioned itself as a digital news organization focused on deep reporting about power and place in the state, covering politics, courts, higher education, culture, and accountability. The publication aimed to produce journalism that would alternately surprise, inform, outrage, and delight readers, with the common thread of leaving them with a better understanding of their home state. In its early years, The Assembly hired a team of journalists and editors across North Carolina, giving them the space to be ambitious and thoughtful. It also brought on editors with extensive experience on major issues. The outlet built a statewide newsletter that delivers reporting to subscribers every weekday, and it developed premium newsletters such as The Caucus (politics) and The Quad (higher education). A significant milestone came in 2024 when The Assembly received a catalytic grant from the Knight Foundation, which jumpstarted its growth across the state. Since then, it has raised funds from individuals and foundations across North Carolina. The organization operates with a mix of investor backing, philanthropic support, and reader funding, and it aims to become a self-sustaining, reader-funded network. It maintains a disclosure policy for donors who give $10,000 or more over a twelve-month period and does not solicit anonymous contributions. The Assembly has published in-depth reporting on a range of topics, including the Duke lacrosse case and its connection to Roy Cooper, a police shooting in Shallotte, N.C., and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. It has partnered with other nonprofit newsrooms, such as The Marshall Project, to expand the reach of its investigations. By 2026, it had produced a voter guide for the primary season, continuing its focus on statewide civic information.

• The Assembly launches as a digital news organization in North Carolina.

• Receives a catalytic grant from the Knight Foundation to support growth across North Carolina.

• Publishes the 2026 N.C. Election Guide for the primary season.

Nonprofit digital news organization focused on in-depth, statewide reporting on power and place in North Carolina, without fear or favor to any party or power structure.

• The Assembly newsletter

  A statewide newsletter delivering North Carolina reporting to subscribers every weekday.

• The Caucus

  A premium newsletter providing insider insights on N.C. politics, from budget wrangling to emerging legislation.

• The Quad

  A premium newsletter covering higher education in North Carolina, with scoops and insights on major decisions and key leaders.

• 2026 N.C. Election Guide

  A voter guide providing information needed for the primary season.

1. 1The Assembly: N.C. News and In-Depth Reportingtheassemblync.com
2. 2About Us - The Assembly NCtheassemblync.com
3. 3What the Duke Lacrosse Case Says About Roy Coopertheassemblync.com
4. 4How N.C. Officials Kept the Truth About a Police Shooting Hiddentheassemblync.com
5. 5The Assembly - Wikidatawikidata.org