About us

What is IDOG?

Idahoans for Openness in Government, or IDOG, is a broad-based, non-profit coalition for open government. Like similar coalitions in more than 40 other states, IDOG’s mission is to promote open government and freedom of information. IDOG’s board includes people from inside and outside of government, the media, civic organizations and more.

IDOG’s initial project was to put on open-government seminars in communities across the state of Idaho, in partnership with the Idaho Attorney General, the Idaho Press Club, the Idaho Association of Counties and the Association of Idaho Cities.  We reached all parts of the state with these workshops, conducting more than 50 sessions with then-Attorney General Lawrence Wasden focusing on Idaho’s public records and open meeting laws. IDOG received funding for this project from the National Freedom of Information Coalition through a grant from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. We also received a grant from the Best of the West Foundation, a group dedicated to openness and freedom of information and funded by an annual journalism contest. Our latest project is a series of government transparency workshops in partnership with Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane, Idaho State Controller Brandon Woolf, and Idaho Public Television, with the endorsement and recommendation of the Association of Idaho Cities, the Idaho Association of Counties, Attorneys for Civic Education, and the Idaho Press Club.

IDOG’s mission is to foster open government, supervised by an informed and engaged citizenry. We believe that we all benefit when the public, the media and government officials are fully aware of the public’s rights to access government information and observe the conduct of the public’s business.

On the web

IDOG has developed a multimedia DVD version of our open-government seminars, and the entire content is available for free on our website, www.openidaho.org. The site also features information about IDOG and its activities along with news clips on open records and open meetings developments around the state.

Join us!

You can support IDOG by becoming a member, for just $10 annually for an individual or $100 for an organization. Just send us your check and a note about your interest in these issues. We’d love to have your help!

P.O. Box 9391
Boise, ID 83707

Phone: 208 336-2854

Bylaws

Bylaws in PDF format