Jim Heaney

GRANTEE

Heaney, 63, was an investigative reporter with The Buffalo News for 25 years before leaving the paper in August 2011 to start Investigative Post. His investigative work and beat coverage at The News focused on government and urban and economic issues.

Heaney has won more than 20 journalism awards and was a finalist for the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for investigative reporting for his series on slum housing. His investigation of Buffalo's misuse of block grant funds won Governing Magazine's national reporting award in 2005. The New York State Associated Press selected Heaney's "Outrages & Insights" the best newspaper blog in the state in 2010.