The Investigative Fund is looking for help with its new citizen journalism project — will you be a volunteer?

In collaboration with AlterNet and Political Research Associates, The Investigative Fund is digging into the background of the newly created Tea Party movement. You’ve probably read about Tea Party protesters (see this New York Times article or this AlterNet piece) or seen some video coverage of their rallies.

But the Tea Party is still defining itself, and you can help us understand its ties to organized political parties as well as any overlap with far-right or militia movements by becoming a citizen observer. If you decide to volunteer, this would mean tracking the development of Tea Party groups in your area and monitoring the websites of Tea Party-affiliated groups. If we get enough volunteers, we can collectively dig up information about the Tea Party’s movements on a national scale. Your feedback will then be channeled to reporters who will cover the story.

By the end of the summer, we hope to have a clearer picture of the movement’s ideology, influence, and future plans — not to mention several articles to which you will have contributed!

Sign up as a citizen observer here.