MuckRock users come from different walks of life and all parts of the country, united in the idea that government by the people must be a government that is open to the people.

Thanks to that belief - and a helpful community of committed FOIA filers - MuckRock users have now collectively filed 10,000 successful FOIA and public records requests, releasing almost 1.5 million pages of previously secret government records into the public domain.

The vast majority of those 10,000 requests are already public (browse completed MuckRock requests here), meaning that anyone can get a first-hand understanding of how their government operates.

You can also get a sense for the scope of that work by browsing our public records projects, which highlight some of the critical ways that public records help enhance government transparency and accountability.

I’m deeply grateful to all of those who have helped us get to this milestone, including those people and institutions that have generously made MuckRock financially possible, our amazing and dedicated staff both past and present, and a community of over seven thousand records requesters that constantly surprises and inspires us.

This site would not exist without the amazing requesters that use it as well as many others who support it by reading, sharing, and donating to help us continue our operations.

If you’d like to help MuckRock help journalists, activists, and ordinary citizens around the country complete another 10,000 requests, consider making a donation today: It’s easy and tax deductible:

And most importantly, thank you to everyone who helped us reach this major milestone. We’re looking forward to many more documents to come.

Image via US National Archives Flickr