Founded in 2020 by States Newsroom, the Louisiana Illuminator came into being to fill the growing gap in local government reporting. The idea sparked when States Newsroom, a national non-profit organization, recognized that traditional newspapers were shrinking and fewer reporters were keeping an eye on state politicians. They decided to launch an independent newsroom dedicated entirely to policy and accountability, ensuring that citizens knew exactly what was happening in their state capital. Today, the outlet is owned and operated by States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Today, the Louisiana Illuminator is run by a team of investigative journalists and is mainly focused on state politics, environmental issues, healthcare, justice reform, and education policy. They are based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, located near the State Capitol to keep a close watch on legislative sessions and government decisions. One interesting fact: A unique fact about the Louisiana Illuminator is its "open source" model. Unlike most news sites that charge subscription fees or bombard readers with pop-up ads, the Illuminator is completely free to read. Even more surprising, they allow other newspapers and websites to republish their stories for free, encouraging the spread of information rather than keeping it behind a paywall.